Finalul lui Spartacus !

 1-Acest articol este copiat !

2-Istoria ramane pasiunea mea nr-1

3-Sa nu uitam de Spartacus-Gladiatorul care a murit pentru libertate .

Trapped in southern Italia, Spartacus sought to make a deal with Cilician pirates to transport a number of his forces across the Strait of Messina. If they could cross to Sicily, they could likely raise the banner of rebellion there, the home of the previous two servile wars. There would also be huge grain ships which could ferry the remainder of his army across, coupled with the ability to withhold the grain that Rome needed to feed its populace. Sicily also presented the opportunity to create an island fortress, from where the slaves could effectively continue their revolt indefinitely, an appealing prospect.

Having taken payment, the pirates proceeded to betray the rebels though, leaving Spartacus and his forces stranded in southern Italia. While there were attempts made to build rafts and boats, Crassus took measures to hinder the rebel’s escape. The senate, however, were becoming increasingly frustrated by Crassus’ lack of a decisive engagement with the slaves, and when the legions of Pompey Magnus returned from putting down the revolt of Sertorius in Hispania, they marched south to support Crassus. Running out of options, Spartacus made an unsuccessful attempt to break through Crassus’ wall, suffering heavy casualties. He managed to rally his forces though, and a second attempt saw them break through and begin to march north.

It was around this time that Spartacus’ army again split, with a chunk under Gannicus and Castus splintering away from the main force. Indulging in looting and pillage, and lacking the tactical nous of Spartacus, they were swiftly hunted down by Crassus and defeated. Spartacus attempted to negotiate with Pompey, without success. As Crassus’ army dogged his steps, small portions of Spartacus’ force began to break away and attack the legions.

Discipline in the slave army was breaking down, and they faced being trapped between the armies of Crassus and Pompey. Facing such a dire conundrum, Spartacus lined up his forces to throw the full weight of his army at Crassus’ legions. The two leaders met on the eve of battle, Spartacus unable to negotiate a retreat and finding himself treated with contempt by the wealthy patrician. Addressing his troops, Spartacus slew his horse before the battle, saying he would either have no use for it in the afterlife, or he would have the pick of the Roman cavalry.

The Battle of Silur River was closely fought, with the slaves initially holding their ground. Holding a cavalry advantage, Spartacus almost succeeded in using that to flank the Romans and attack the legions’ rear. With the legions standing firm, Crassus used his siege weapons to great effect, wreaking havoc on the tightly packed slaves. Eventually the discipline of the legions won out, and the slaves were completely routed, with most being killed. Just as Spartacus’ origins are shrouded in mystery, so is his fate. It is reported that he killed several centurions while trying to assassinate Crassus, before taking a spear through the leg. His body was never recovered from the battlefield – hence Kirk Douglas and his co-stars famously all declaring “I’m Spartacus!”

With his victory complete, Crassus stamped down a bitter reminder of Roman supremacy, and warning to other rebellious slaves, by crucifying 6,000 survivors along the Appian Way betwixt Rome and Capua. The horror of crucifixion is often lost on people today, being so closely associated with Christ. If you are ever able to hold two poles/edges so you can hang from your hands, you will soon learn it becomes difficult to breathe, with pressure on your diaphragm as your body weight is held up by your hands. Couple the difficulty in breathing with the agony of then having nails through your wrists and feet, thus putting you in unimaginable pain, and you get an idea of how hellish crucifixion was. Despite this, it would often take days for the victim to die, often from thirst or hunger, during which time passers by would abuse them and wild animals would begin feasting on them, boar and wolf taking the feet, crows taking the eyes. Bodies were often left out for some time, allowing people to see the decomposition. Roman citizens were not permitted to suffer the fate, being such a grisly end.

While Crassus rushed to get news of his decisive victory to the senate, Pompey set upon a number of those troops who had escaped from Silure River, massacring them. With this minor victory to his name, he was swift to write to the senate himself and declare that he was the victor, earning a reputation for stealing others’ glory. Crassus found himself further frustrated as he was denied a triumph, the senate reverting to its contempt for him putting down a mere slave revolt, not a foreign army, and instead he was granted a lesser ovation. This lack of military acclaim would shape Crassus’ fateful decision to march his legions into Parthia two decades later. Pompey’s star would continue to rise, with further military exploits to follow. While it is unclear if Gaius Julius Caesar played any role in quelling Spartacus’ revolt, he served as a military tribune in Italia during the war, so it is likely he cut his teeth learning the military tactics that would see him end the republic.

The romanticised ideal of Spartacus continued to inspire today, with Karl Marx calling him “the most splendid fellow in antiquity”. His slave uprising fundamentally shaped the communist movements, while Toussaint Louverture, who won Haitian independence, was called “the black Spartacus”. The Thracian rebel also continues to inspire the names of sports team, fiction and other media. While the real Spartacus may not have been an abolitionist or equalities campaigner, he remains a figure of defiance against the world’s leading power, an accomplished military tactician, and an inspired leader.