In the first Century BC, a proud rebellious man named Spartacus was sold into slavery as
a child and dreamed of the day that he would be free. He works in the Libyan mines. One day
his friend collapses. As Spartacus goes to help him, the Roman soldiers order him back to work.
He fights with them and is sentenced to death. A Roman businessman named Lentulus Batiatus
arrives on the back of a donkey. The captain shows him some of the slaves for him to buy. He notices
Spartacus and is impressed so he picks the man. The slaves are taken with Lentulus to his
gladiatorial school. They will be trained and resold to fight to the death for amusement.
Lentulus tells Marcellus to pay attention to Spartacus - he tells him that he has quality.
The slaves are branded before being briefed by Marcellus.
He gives Spartacus a sword and offers him the opportunity to kill him but Spartacus does not.
As the slaves bathe, Spartacus is informed that he made the right decision. Marcellus
sometimes likes to kill a man as an example. A young slave girl named Varinia is sent to
Spartacus to entertain him. Lentulus and Marcellus watch on but Spartacus yells that he is not an
animal and refuses to do anything to her. She is removed from the room and Lentulus
tells him that he will never be a man. The slaves train outside. Spartacus notices
Varinia preparing food. They smile at each other and slowly form a relationship.
Marcellus continually humiliates Spartacus over his actions.
Lentulus receives a visit from the Roman Senator Crassus. He desires to view a gladiatorial battle
of two pairs to the death. Lentulus tries to explain that they do not do that here
but Crassus pays for it to be arranged. Crassus’ wife insists on choosing the pairs
for herself. The slaves hear of this and Spartacus and his friend Crixus
worry that they may have to fight each other. Spartacus, Crixus,
Draba and Gallino are among the selected. Crassus likes the look of Varinia and buys
her and makes plans to have her sent to Rome. Crixus and Gallino are ordered to fight in the
arena. Spartacus watches on from a cell as Crixus is victorious.
Crixus is put back into the cell and it is Draba and Spartacus’ turn to fight. Varinia watches on.
After a lengthy battle, Spartacus is disarmed by Draba and has a trident held to his throat.
The spectators order Draba to kill him but instead he throws the trident in Crassus’ direction.
Draba climbs the wall towards Crassus but a guard throws a spear which hits him in the back. Crassus
uses a knife to finish him off. Later, Draba is used as an example
as the slaves are paraded past him. The following day, Spartacus sees that
Varinia is being taken away. Marcellus mocks him and Spartacus attacks him.
He manages to kill Marcellus. Lentulus receives word that there is a riot and
so leaves in a cart to deliver Varinia himself. The slaves break out and fight with the guards.
They manage to overwhelm the crowd and escape out into the countryside.
In Rome, it is reported that the slaves are roaming the countryside,
convincing other slaves to join them - looting, robbing and burning things.
The Senate demands to know where Crassus is. One Senator who has lost a lot due to the rebellion,
proposes the recall of Pompey and his legions from Spain. Another says that they should send Glabrus
and the Garrison of Rome to fight them. This is protested, for without the Garrison in place,
what is to prevent the slaves in Rome from rising as well.
A compromise is reached by only sending some of the Garrison to deal with the uprising.
Whilst Glabrus is absent, control of the remaining Roman Garrison is given over to
the young Julius Caesar by Gracchus. As Crassus returns home, he inspects
some new slaves. He assigns a handsome boy named Antoninus as his servant.
Crassus is furious to find that Gracchus had proposed to send away his supporter Glabrus.
Crassus intends to restore Rome’s greatness but this is a very difficult balancing act.
Some time later, Spartacus returns to the Gladiatorial School and
reminisces of the time spent with Varinia. Meanwhile the erstwhile slaves are taking
revenge on their oppressors. The slaves are making their old Masters fight but Spartacus stops them
and asks what they have become. He inspires them to become an
army of Gladiators and free every slave in every village. He then becomes their de facto leader.
They plan to leave the country by sea, hiring pirates to take them. They set out on this
plan collecting money and men as they go. One of the new arrivals is Varinia who managed
to escape whilst being taken to Crassus. She and Spartacus share a tender moment.
Gracchus is dining with his ally Lentulus, who tells him that he hates Crassus after the events
that unfolded at his Gladiatorial School. He explains that Varinia has not been paid
for by Crassus and now she has escaped and is with Spartacus he will not see a penny.
Gracchus promises to pay for her when she is caught - if only to annoy Crassus.
Antoninus is with Crassus who confesses his desire to his slave. Antoninus understands
what his Master is asking of him and flees the city where he eventually joins up with Spartacus
and his group. The slaves continue
to train and become a happy community. Spartacus confides to Varinia that he feels
ignorant due to his lack of education. He later receives a message from a man
named Tigranus who is authorized to bargain on behalf of the pirates.
Spartacus shows him their accumulated treasures and the price is agreed for 500
ships. Tigranus heard a rumor that Spartacus is of noble birth and that terrifies Crassus.
Spartacus admits that he was born into slavery. Tigranus asks him how he thinks that he can win
against the might of Rome. Spartacus replies that death is the only freedom that a slave knows
and so he is not afraid of it. That is how they will win.
Spartacus learns that the Roman Garrison is nearby. They think that the Romans don’t view
them as a threat and set off to engage them. They defeat the Garrison and Glabrus is sent back to
the Senate humiliated. He is told to report that they just wish to leave the country.
In the Senate, Glabrus reports back and Crassus recognizes the name of Spartacus. Glabrus is
disgraced and expelled from the city. Crassus supports his friend and retires to private life.
Gracchus yells that this is no time for a man of honor to withdraw from public
affairs although he recognizes that Crassus is aiming to be dictator and will surely be back.
Varinia reveals to Spartacus that she is pregnant. He is delighted by the news.
Gracchus declares that Caesar should be made permanent Commander of the Garrison and assigns
more legions to destroy Spartacus and his slave army. These Legions are also easily defeated.
Crassus meets with Caesar in the bath house. He wants to know why Caesar has abandoned him for
Gracchus but he denies that this is the case merely stating that Gracchus is his friend.
They both meet with Gracchus who tells Crassus that the Senate wants to give
control of the Legions to him but Crassus tells him that this will come at a price.
Gracchus tells Caesar in confidence that he has arranged for Spartacus’ army to escape
from Italy by bribing the pirates. Caesar does not agree with such things and decides instead
to transfer his support to Crassus. Tigranus comes to see Spartacus
who learns that Crassus has bribed the pirates to abandon Spartacus. Pompey has also arrived
in Italy and another army led by Lucullus will arrive by sea. Spartacus realizes that Crassus
is trying to force them towards Rome itself so that his own armies can engage them.
Spartacus addresses his people and convinces his men
that they are brothers and are free and that they should die fighting.
Meanwhile, in Rome, Crassus is elected Leader of the Senate
and vows to destroy Spartacus and his rebellion. Lentulus comes to see Crassus. Crassus is after a
description of Spartacus and learns that he had already seen him at the Gladiatorial School.
Lentulus asks to be the agent for selling the survivors from the battle
and in return Crassus asks him to remain until after the battle to help identify their leader.
Lentulus reluctantly agrees. On the eve of battle, Spartacus surveys
the people. They appear to love and respect him. The leader speaks with Varinia and they both dream
that their son will grow up in a world free from slavery. He hopes that he will get to meet him.
The battle commences as Spartacus engages Crassus’s army. The slave army does well
until the arrival of the other two armies led by Lucullus and Pompey.
Most of the slaves are massacred and the survivors are informed that they
will be pardoned and returned to slavery on the single condition that they identify the leader.
One by one the prisoners stand up proclaiming “I am Spartacus” in
order to conceal the identity of their leader. Lentulus is brought to Crassus having learned that
all the survivors are to be crucified. He is not happy that all the slaves that he was offered
to sell will be killed. Crassus is equally furious as Lentulus promised him Spartacus.
As they walk through the fields, they discover Varinia and her newborn child. She tells them
that Spartacus is dead but Crassus thinks that she is lying. Lentulus is allowed to take the
remaining women and children, but Varinia is to go to Crassus. Lentulus tries to object but is
flogged instead for his insolence. As the slaves are led away,
Crassus recognizes Antoninus. He demands that Antoninus and Spartacus be held until the end.
Lentulus goes to see Gracchus and they discuss the rumor that Crassus is in
love with Varinia. Gracchus plans to steal Varinia away and pays Lentulus to help him.
Caesar now comes to bring Gracchus to the Senate to explain his bribery to the
pirates. He is to be exiled but Crassus fears his followers so he is to be merely exiled in
order to keep his supporters in order. Crassus is with Varinia but she rejects
his advances - telling him that he is afraid of Spartacus.
In a fury, he fetches Spartacus and Antoninus and demands that they fight to the death.
The survivor is to be crucified. The two men fight to spare the other
from the torment of crucifixion but ultimately Spartacus kills Antoninus.
They tell each other that they love each other as father and son. Antoninus dies in his arms.
Crassus tells Spartacus that Varinia and his son are slaves in his household
before ordering his crucifixion. Gracchus is in his house
when Lentulus arrives with Varinia and her child. He provides her with documents proclaiming her
freedom and then asks them to leave. Gracchus retires to the back of his room
with a knife in his hand as an alternative to living in this new Rome.
As Lentulus and Varinia leave the city, they pass by Spartacus.
She offers him comfort by showing him his son - who will grow up to be a free man. She will tell
him about his father and what he dreamed of. She begs him to die quickly as she says goodbye
to her love and she is driven from Rome. Like and subscribe for more videos like this and
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