It is difficult to imagine a more famous slave, rebel and gladiator than Spartacus. A warrior who lived in 110-71. BC, left behind so many mysteries that it is impossible to find answers to them even now. Gladiator. Talented commander. And at the same time - a slave, a deserter, for a long time successfully fought against Rome. Who was he and where did he disappear to?
Origin
Most likely, the future gladiator came from the Thracians - a people from the Balkan Peninsula. For some time Spartacus was in the service of the Roman army, where he mastered the tactics of warfare, and also received good training. At some point, he was enslaved and became a gladiator. This fact gives historians reason to believe that Spartacus tried to desert to his homeland, but was captured.
According to another version, the future leader of the slaves fought with the Romans, but was captured and taken to serve in the army. In the future, when he had the opportunity, he tried to desert. Unable to escape, he was turned into a gladiator. He was previously educated, which may indicate his aristocratic background.
Lucius Annaeus Florus, an ancient Roman historian who lived about a century after Spartacus, described him as life path: Thracian mercenary, Spartacus became a soldier, then a deserter, then a robber, and then a gladiator. Perhaps this formula is more in line with the truth.
School of gladiators
In the Roman Empire, gladiators were not just warriors, but a special caste with significant rights. First, they did not live in the same conditions as slaves. For performances they received money, could eat well, be treated. Secondly, they didn't die as often as Hollywood movies make it out to be. After all, a warrior had to be trained, spending a lot of money.
Apparently, Spartacus was an elite gladiator, therefore he had limited freedom, name, money. He became a student of the school of Lentulus Batiatus: little is known about this historical character. Being a leader by nature, Spartacus in 73 BC. decided to organize an uprising. And although the plot was revealed, the gladiators were able to seize weapons, destroy the guards and servants and escape to Vesuvius. There they began to lead the usual life for runaway slaves: steal, rob, rape. The detachments of Spartacus ravaged the district, and the unfree inhabitants of Rome joined them with pleasure. After a short time, the number of fugitive gladiator troops exceeded a thousand people. At that time, it was a serious force that could truly threaten the stability of the state. The closest associates of Spartacus were his "colleagues" Enomai, Gaius Gannicus and Crixus.
Why did the gladiators rise up?
Historians name various reasons for the rebellion - social contradictions, unwillingness to remain a slave. But in the case of Spartacus, everything was probably a little more prosaic. Although gladiators were not killed on such a scale as they are shown in the movies, deaths did occur. And, given the desire of the Romans to plan everything, accidental death was almost impossible. Spartacus, along with his comrade Crixus, was "appointed" as a victim, that is, he had to die in the amphitheater. The games were scheduled for February 72 BC.
First military successes
In many ways, the victory of Spartacus became possible due to wrong actions Roman authorities. Initially, when the gladiators settled on Vesuvius, a detachment of 300 untrained recruits was sent to pacify him, led by praetor Claudius Glabr. They began to besiege the rebels' camp, blocking all escape routes. However, the gladiators and the slaves who joined them descended the mountains on the vines, bypassed the Glabr detachment and utterly defeated the Romans.
After Glabr, Publius Varinius was sent to pacify the slaves. He was probably going to attack the rebels from two sides and divided his soldiers into 2 squads. Spartacus, using the tactics of a quick attack, attacked the first detachment, where there were about 3 thousand soldiers. Having inflicted heavy losses on the army, the slaves immediately retreated, but, as it turned out, it was only a false retreat. Fresh forces of Spartacus unexpectedly attacked the Romans pursuing them and put them to flight. Soon the second detachment, which fell into an ambush, was also destroyed. Praetor Varinius could not maintain the morale of the remaining army: soon, due to mass desertion, he had only 4,000 soldiers left. The Romans had no choice but to strengthen the camp, which Spartacus did not dare to storm.
Soon, reinforcements approached Varinius, and the slaves again found themselves in a numerical minority. The emboldened Romans took off and came close to the parking lot of the slave army, showing their strength and numbers. Such a tactic was supposed to provoke the untrained enemy warriors to desert. But Spartak, having maintained discipline, was able to escape from the “pincers” in a very cunning way: former gladiator left a trumpeter in the camp, who gave signals several times an hour, giving the appearance of preparing for battle. The role of sentries was played by stuffed with grass scarecrows. The slaves themselves, under the cover of darkness, managed to slip out from under the noses of the unsuspecting Romans.
Some time later, having discovered the deception, Varinius began the pursuit of Spartacus. The praetor managed to replenish his army with volunteers, to reach the new camp of Spartacus. There he attacked the slaves, but his army was destroyed, and he himself was almost taken prisoner, having lost his horse in a hot battle. Thus, a significant part of southern Italy was in revolt.
What was the slave army?
As the Roman Empire consisted of many peoples, so the army of Spartacus turned out to be an extremely diverse fighting unit. There were former gladiators, ordinary slaves, fugitives, robbers and just free people who were dissatisfied with life as part of the empire. Initially, most of the troops were armed with whatever came to hand: pitchforks, knives, chains. For protection, the slaves wove shields from branches. In the future, as military successes developed, they took real weapons from the Romans and learned how to use them. Of course, not the entire army of Spartacus was a role model. The robbers who nailed to it continued their dirty deeds, robbing the settlements that came across along the way, which caused resentment among the local population. Spartak looked through his fingers at some outrages, he stopped others, realizing that his army should not be synonymous with terror and its success depends solely on popular support.
Development of success
After some time, the army grew to 70 thousand people: a huge army for that time. Part of the slaves intended to go to Rome and seize power. However, Spartacus was not going to become a politician: he convinced his army to move on to Lucania in order to replenish the army with new recruits.
In the meantime, two consular armies were allocated at once to suppress the rebellion: Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus and Lucius Gellius Publicola. Together they formed 4 legions with about 30 thousand fighters. Spartacus, who at that time stood near the Gargan Peninsula, was going to be surrounded and destroyed.
Gellius was heading to Apulia, Lentulus - to the Adriatic coast. Spartacus went to the northwest, troops under the command of Crixus with a total number of about 20-30 thousand people separated from him. The detachment settled on the slopes of Gargan to provide a tactical advantage to the main troops.
Spartacus used his favorite surprise attack technique, made a quick throw to Aternus, where he attacked the troops of Lentulus. At that time, the legions were still crossing the Apennines. Shortly after the battle, Spartacus "dug in" while his forces tried to surround the remaining fighters of Lentulus, but suffered and were forced to go on the defensive. But soon sad news reached the slaves: the second army of the rebels was defeated in a battle with the legionnaires of Lucius Gelliem, and Crixus himself was killed.
Spartacus was squeezed between two Roman armies, but the Thracian showed a brilliant military talent and managed to defeat two Roman armies. However, according to some historians, at that time his forces already numbered about 100,000 people, so defeating the battered Roman armies was not difficult. Saddened by the death of Crixus, Spartacus distributed weapons to the captured Roman soldiers and ordered them to fight each other to the death, like gladiators.
After some time, the former slave moved his forces to the city of Furia, where the army continued to accumulate strength and raid merchants.
The last chapter of the rebellion
Meanwhile, Rome was not going to give up and handed over the command of the army to the proconsul Marcus Licinius Crassus, who had eight legions at once, or about 50,000 professional Roman soldiers, hardened by service in various parts of the empire. Crassus immediately moved to the camp of the rebels, sending two legions ahead. The soldiers were instructed to avoid direct combat with the slaves. However, the commanders disobeyed him and attacked the forces of Spartacus, after which they retreated with heavy losses. This defeat undermined the morale of the Romans, and Crassus decided to raise it not by the most popular method - he executed every tenth deserter. The number of victims could exceed several hundred, while the sentence was carried out by their own soldiers.
Spartacus, however, moved with his army to the city of Messina, where he was going to hire pirates to transport his troops to Sicily, which was famous for its fertile fields, which was a necessity for an army that lacked food. But, for one reason or another, he failed to negotiate with the new allies. Someone believes that the Romans bribed the pirates, and someone - that they did not fulfill their promise due to the worsening weather. One way or another, Spartacus was locked up with all his army on the Rhegian Peninsula.
However, Crassus was not going to destroy the slaves in open battle - he wanted to starve them out. Romans in as soon as possible fortifications were erected: a moat, a wall. The total length of this defensive rampart could be 30-55 kilometers. Spartacus made two desperate attempts to break out of the trap and he succeeded again, but in the battles he lost at least 12 thousand soldiers.
The situation of the slaves worsened, as another experienced army returned to Rome, which fought on the distant frontiers in Spain: the troops of Gnaeus Pompey. Crassus, not wanting to share the glory of the winner with Pompey, began a fierce pursuit of Spartacus in the hope of crushing him as quickly as possible.
The former gladiator went to Brundisium, a port city from which he could cross to the Balkan Peninsula. However, the surviving troops were exhausted (when trying to break through, they had to abandon the carts with provisions) and could no longer take it. Sensing a desperate situation, many of the rebels wanted to turn around and give a decisive battle to Crassus, rather than continue a hasty retreat. But the leader himself was against this, as he understood the outcome of the battle. Part of the dissenters, led by Gannicus, separated from the main army and went to meet the Romans, intending to crush them in open battle. But before the slaves were no longer recruits. Hastily called to service from nearby provinces. The experienced advanced detachments of Crassus began to push the rebels, but the situation was saved by Spartak, who came to the rescue. The surviving warriors of the former gladiator moved to the Petelian mountains and the Romans could not quickly overtake them with their army.
In order to catch up with the runaway slaves and destroy them, Crassus decided to send part of the troops under the command of Gnaeus Quintius and Aelius Scrophe. Spartacus again - already in last time- used his favorite surprise attack tactic. He defeated the vanguard, and Questor Skrofa almost died in that battle. Probably, the former gladiator again wanted to move on and fight only when necessary.
However, the slave army was tired of constant movement. Even Spartacus himself agreed that it was necessary to give the decisive battle to Crassus himself. Who knows: the whole world history, if the army of slaves could crush the best legions of Rome in that battle? But in a fierce battle, where Spartacus fought shoulder to shoulder with his people, he was killed. The slaves, broken by the death of the leader, began to flee from the battlefield.
According to one of the legends, before the start of the battle, Spartacus was brought his horse, but he killed the animal, saying that if he won, he would get good horse, and in case of defeat - will not need this either. The fury with which the gladiator fought so impressed Roman historians that they paid honors to the opponent for many years to come. The body of the brave warrior was never found. But the fact that he died in battle is beyond doubt.
Why did the gladiator Spartacus lose?
Among historians there is no single point of view on this matter. However, many experts believe that Spartak simply did not decide on his plans. If in tactical undertakings he was accompanied by success, then in strategic ones - failures. And even his campaign against Rome did not guarantee victory: a talented commander would hardly have succeeded in political intrigues even in the event of a successful seizure of power.
Moscow "Spartak" suffered an anti-record fourth home defeat in the history of the Russian Championship in a row, while also setting the worst attendance at Otkritie Arena in the season in the RPL.
Only 23,237 spectators came to the match against Ural. Less was only in the previous game against Anji Makhachkala, but it took place as part of the Olympus Cup of Russia.
Both of these meetings were held by the red-whites under the leadership of the Spanish interim head coach Raul Riancho, who from the beginning this season was appointed assistant to Massimo Carrera, became the ideologue of the transition to the 4-3-3 formation, and then replaced the Italian on the bridge after his dismissal.
At the time of Carrera's resignation, Spartak was one point behind the second place in the RPL, and also lost seven points to the leader in the tournament. Now, two matches later, handicaps are five and 12 points respectively.
Under the leadership of the Spanish coach, the most titled club in the country won one match out of four - the same one against RPL outsider Anji in the Cup (there was also a goalless draw in Glasgow with Rangers in the Europa League).
“They scored one goal more than we scored,” the Spanish specialist answered the question about the reasons for the defeat on television immediately after the end of the meeting.
- That happens. We have 14 shots on goal. Of these, six are on target. Ural has five shots on target. Our ball didn't go into the goal. You saw how many moments we had. Football is like that."
At a press conference after a fiasco in a match with a team that was only three points from the direct relegation zone in the FNL before this game, Riancho did not mainly talk about the game problems of his team so far.
“Sometimes I show my character to football players. I am a very temperamental person. Yesterday was an open training, I do not close them. And yesterday, you all saw how I pushed the team so that the guys would train aggressively at every moment. I stick to the idea that how you train is how you play. If you study intensively, then you play the same way, - began the Spaniard, already remembered for his expression and philosophizing in dealing with the press.
- Today they took to the field supercharged, I can give each of them 10 points out of 10. I can only speak positively about each of the players.
We make substitutions every time until the 70th minute, you never ask about it. These two substitutions always improve the game, give a positive momentum, always. This means that super-charged football players are coming out.
After this “divorce”, the only thing I can do is that the players go out on the field charged, and demand only that from them. And also I want the fans to be positively charged.
But it seems to me that there is an evil force that makes the players feel constrained on the field. And these are good players. But now they are under pressure. It is very difficult to work in such an environment. Imagine if you worked in such an atmosphere.
We have two options: either ignore everyone, or have Carrera return, or, as I said before, wait for the sun after the rain.
Therefore, gentlemen, let's build. Why keep destroying? Why do we want to destroy this team and these players? Why do we want to destroy this club with 96 years of history? This club lived before Carrera for many years. People leave, but the history of the club does not end. There is a wonderful central midfielder - Ignatov, he is only 18 years old. Do you think it's okay to help him grow, we throw him into this firebox? Maksimenko, Rasskazov, Lomovitsky.
Is it normal that they are under such pressure? What are the players guilty of? Why is this atmosphere here? This is a question we should ask everyone."
The current Spartak mentor could not resist reproaches against his former boss and colleague.
“Before coming to Spartak, I analyzed eight recent matches commands. We studied the mistakes made by the team that were committed under Massimo. The team was falling apart at the time.
Five attacked, five defended. And so throughout the season. And the first thing we had to decide was to organize a compact game of the team from defense to attack. When this season started, for a long time we were in second place among all the teams in terms of approaches to the penalty area, - Riancho emphasized.
“We were the team that pressed the most in the top zone. And we scored seven goals from set pieces. We reached the penalty area, but the last pass was missing.
In this situation, the team must rely primarily on order. We need patience, it's hard for us to attack with flanks. I have to strengthen the center of the field, and instead of two defensive midfielders, I have three. I agree that we lack players on the wing, Promes was a very important player.
We don't have players in the center like Iniesta or Xavi who can run behind us. So I bet on order and tactical discipline to grow through it.
I would also like to remind you that during the week we cannot fully train. We just restore the players and prepare them for the next match. There are three games a week, we just recover and play. In such a game, three central players in the center of the field are better than two. The same Juventus, without exception, all the top clubs are now playing with three players in the center of the field.
- The main thing is that the episode with my kick ended with a goal: Panyukov was at the right time in the right place, and we won today. We had a lot of chances, especially I ran out a few times. Probably, somewhere composure was not enough in the end. I promise to improve and convert my chances in the next match.
I can imagine Parfenov as the head coach of Spartak. In addition, the fans have a soul for him: he played for the Moscow club for many years. It's a good option, but we won't just give it away. For 2 million euros? For 2.5".
“I immediately decided to shoot from a free kick. It was close to the gate, I tried. It's good that it worked out. I can't say which is the best beautiful goal. I also had such penalties. I don’t know if Maksimenko had the opportunity to pull out my punch. My wife has already downloaded the video of my goal, watched it several times, - said the author of the first goal in the match.
- Spartak - very strong team. They have problems now, but he will still fight for the championship. All forces left on the field. A little later, we will discuss what we did today.”
But the players of the Moscow "Spartak" did not come out to the journalist after the match. However, the team captain
Having spent the entire meeting on the bench, he left the stadium separately from his partners and surrounded by bodyguards.
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38. Inverted clepsydra or If only…
What if Spartacus had won at Brundisium? If he had broken Crassus? No, at first not so, otherwise: could Spartacus win this battle?
Victory is made up of many factors. Among them are quite obvious - the size and armament of the army, the level of its training, the talent of the commander. In this regard, the chances were almost equal, with one obvious exception - Spartacus, as a commander, was clearly superior to Mark Licinius. But there is still His Majesty Chance, capable of dramatically changing the course of events. For example, the Roman guards noticed the approach of the Spartacists too late, a blow to the center of the Roman army turned out to be fatal for Crassus ...
The conclusion is obvious - Spartak could win, moreover, his chances looked even more preferable. The army of Crassus was "beaten", and the rebels firmly entrenched the habit of victory, which can sometimes work wonders. The fighters believed their leader, because he had not yet lost a single battle!
So, let's imagine that Spartacus also won under Brundisium. The picture is familiar - a field littered with corpses, eagles thrown on dirty trampled snow, gloomy crowds of prisoners. The remnants of the Roman army are fleeing, afraid to even look back ... Whether Crassus himself survives does not matter anymore. Such a defeat will not be forgiven him, the military and political career Roman "millionaire" will end.
Here is the first consequence of the victory of the Spartacists: Crassus will not become a consul, he will not be allowed into big politics, and in this case, the union of the beaten praetor with Caesar, which later developed into the First Triumvirate, will hardly be possible. I am sure that the Triumvirate will still develop, but Crassus will not be in its composition. And this is already a serious historical “fork” where anything is possible:
1. Someone who entered the Triumvirate instead of Crassus will not die at Carrhae and will be able to establish a long-term cooperation between Caesar and Pompey. There will be no war between them, the transition from the Republic to the Empire will occur smoothly, without unnecessary sacrifices. Rome, having retained its human and material potential, will be able to achieve much more than in "our" history. Let's say Caesar conquers Mesopotamia, and Pompey reaches the Elbe.
2. Everything can be vice versa - Someone will turn out to be a weak politician (like Lepidus in the Second Triumvirate), and Caesar's enmity with Pompey will break out a few years earlier. In this case, the story will be very similar to "ours", except that Gnaeus Pompey will have additional chances to win. After all, if the war with Caesar begins BEFORE the end of the fighting in Gaul, the positions of the Great will look preferable.
As you can see, the battle of Brundisium decided not only the fate of Crassus, but also the fate of the future First Triumvirate, and hence the course of Roman history for the next twenty to thirty years. global changes Big Stories in this case did not happen, but it would look somewhat unusual. Instead of the dictatorship of Caesar, we would have studied the principate of Pompey at school, and the title of Augustus would have been received not by Gaius Octavius, but by the son of the Great Sextus.
And Crassus? Knowing his character, we can assume that Mark Licinius, angry at the whole world, will certainly get involved in some extremely dubious adventure. Even in "our" history, which has developed relatively well for Crassus (for the time being, for the time being), he was suspected of having ties with Catiline. In another version, he himself could lead the conspiracy, trying to take power that had eluded him. Surely it would not have worked out, Cicero would have saved the Fatherland, and Sallust wrote, instead of the treatise On the Conspiracy of Catiline, an equally interesting book, On the Conspiracy of Crassus. Is there a big difference?
So, this "fork", although significant, is still not decisive. Rome will remain Rome, and our world will not be something seriously different from the alternative. But this is only Brundisius, only the victory over Crassus. What if Spartacus WON THE WAR?
Couldn't? Are the forces too unequal? Would the Roman power, despite all the troubles and difficulties, still crush the "despicable gladiators"? I agree - I would crush. With the death of Sertorius, the last real opportunity to spark civil war in Rome and destroy the Eternal City is NOW gone. The united Roman armies would surely have won. But ... But there are, alas, fatal victories.
Let's go along the bed of the alternative River of History further. Crassus is defeated, the Senate recalls him to Rome, the remnants of the army pass under the command of Pompey. Lucullus, meanwhile, is moving troops across the winter sea to Italy, his legions in Brundisium, in Bari, possibly in Tarentum. Pompey, leaving part of his forces in Etruria, hurries south along the Appian Way. Will Spartacus survive?
At first glance, no. In the army of Lucullus about forty thousand, Pompey (if you count with the remnants of the army of Crassus) - twice as many. Both of them are excellent commanders. The war will drag on for another few weeks, at most a couple of months.
But this is at first glance. But if you look closely...
But didn’t you, dear reader, be surprised by one strange circumstance. After the death of Spartacus, the remnants of his army fought with Crassus and Pompey. Where is Lucullus? Why didn't his army come to the rescue, because it was very close, in Calabria?
There can be as many as three answers:
1. Lucullus did not get along with Pompey and Crassus, so he sat out in Brundisium, and then disbanded his army.
2. Winter storms interfered with the transfer, and only a few vanguards were able to be transported to Brundisium. The rest crossed only in the spring.
3. The Roman army in Thrace has been fighting for several years. The soldiers and officers were mortally tired and were simply incompetent. If they had been taken out of Brundisium, they would have fled to their homes.
The first reason, I confess, I do not believe. The enmity between Pompey and the brothers Lucullus began much later. Mark Lucullus was known as a man of duty and honor. If he could help Crassus and Pompey, he certainly would.
But didn't it help? It means that something serious has prevented him. Probably, both factors acted - the difficulty of the crossing, and the demoralization of the troops. And if so, we have every right to take Lucullus out of the game, if not at all, then for two or three months. All he can do is defend Brundisium. So, Mark Lucullus is still "on the moon." Pompey remains.
Spartacus and Pompey - who wins? Both are talented, both have a strong army. But Pompey is not Crassus, he is popular in Rome, volunteers will definitely come to his aid, his name alone will give the Romans confidence. In Spain, the Great learned well how to conduct counter-guerrilla operations, such as he is difficult to deceive and mislead by another "disinformation". In general, the chances of the Great to win are much higher than those of Spartak. The war will probably drag on until spring, Pompey will have to fight not only with rebellious slaves, but also with pirates, but the final victory seems to be beyond doubt. It seems to be...
Now let's take a closer look again. First of all, part of Pompey's troops will remain in the north, and a considerable part, because Etruria is too close to Rome. The Great will have to fight with one hand. But his veterans were also dead tired, the war in Spain lasted too long. Everyone, of course, will not scatter, but miracles will not be expected from such an army. Yes, and Pompey himself ... Contemporaries considered him a great commander, the first warrior in Rome. I fully agree with this, but there are other opinions. Remember that letter in which Karl Marx praised the great guy? He praised Spartacus, but Pompey ...
“Pompey is real rubbish; he undeservedly became famous due to the fact that he appropriated first the successes of Lucullus (against Mithridates), then the successes of Sertorius (in Spain), etc., finally, as the “young confidant” of Sulla ... "
Comrade Marx is confusing, confusing. On the contrary, at first the Great was a “young confidant”, then he fought in Spain and only then fought with Mithridates. Yes, and he could not appropriate the successes of Sertorius, he fought with him. If he borrowed someone's successes, then Metellus, his predecessor. But the idea is clear - Pompey was really lucky, also for the time being, of course.
“As soon as he had to show in the fight against Caesar what he was worth, his insignificance was revealed. Caesar committed major military errors, deliberately absurd in order to confuse the philistine who opposed him. Any ordinary Roman general, some Crassus, would have defeated Caesar six times during the Epirus War. But with Pompey you could afford everything.”
About "six times" the classic, of course, turned down, but what is true is true - against Caesar Pompey was absolutely helpless. Moreover, after the first defeats, Pompey showed a disastrous quality for the commander - complete ATROPHY OF WILL. He really was a man of Success, losing once, he was lost and continued to lose until the end.
As for me, Marx is still too harsh on Pompey, but such a point of view, as we see, also exists. And now let's imagine something quite probable: Pompey lost the first battle with Spartacus. Why not, anything can happen in a war. So, the Great One could not win immediately. His actions?
It's not a secret. In the event of a defeat, Pompey immediately switched to POSITIONAL WAR. So it was with Sertorius, so it will be with Caesar. If the enemy gave time to recover, as happened in Spain, Pompey seemed to wake up after a while, becoming himself again ...
Caesar did not give him such a gift. I'm sure Spartacus would have done the same. His army would continue to disturb the Roman, attack individual units, challenge Pompey to battle. The great one would surely have retreated to the Roman walls and slowly began to put the army in order. In the end, he would go on the offensive again and certainly win, but another factor could intervene in the events.
The war was now in its third year, and every month, every week, the fear of the "fury of Spartacus," as Horace aptly put it, grew stronger. Let's remember!
“Now it was not only the unworthy shame of the slave uprising that disturbed the Roman Senate. He was AFRAID of Spartacus…”
“For the third year already, this TERRIBLE war for the Romans lasted, which at first was laughed at and which at first was despised as a war with gladiators. When the elections of other commanders were appointed in Rome, FEAR kept everyone ... "
“It was a war that could no longer be calmly looked at, but which should have been FEARED everywhere. The fact that it is called the War on Fugitive Slaves does not mean that it should be considered insignificant because of the name ... The state experienced almost no less FEAR than when Hannibal stood menacingly at the gates of Rome.
Augustine the Blessed:
“Let them tell me what god helped them from the state of a small and despicable band of robbers to go over to the state of the state, which the Romans had to FEAR with so many of their troops and fortresses?”
"... Crixus and Spartacus ... opened a slave war, the most TERRIBLE of all that the Romans could withstand."
Oh, and a friendly choir! “Scary”, “fear”, “afraid”, “terrible”… But all these Orosias and Augustines of Spartacus are not contemporaries. The memory of this “most terrible” war turned out to be long!
And now imagine how the fathers-senators on the Capitol, and all the other inhabitants of Rome, would have behaved at the news of the defeat of Crassus and the failures of Pompey. Panic? No, "panic" is too mild a word. The situation would have been worse than after the catastrophe at Cannes, when in the first hours after receiving the news of the death of the army, the Eternal City could be taken with bare hands.
Titus Livius:
“Never in an unharmed City, within the Roman walls, was there so much confusion and fear ... It was difficult to make a decision, a woman’s cry drowned out the voices of senators: in almost all houses they mourned relatives, not even knowing who was alive and who was dead.”
Of course, the panic would have been stopped, and the Senate, gathered for an urgent meeting, would have made the necessary decision. Just what is it? Crassus is defeated, Pompey cannot win, the Spartacists are in the north, the Spartacists are in the south...
According to Roman tradition, in this case, democracy was temporarily curtailed and a DICTATOR with emergency powers was appointed. But one dictator is not enough, we need an army, we need commanders. Crassus and Pompey did not live up to the trust, who was left? Mark Lucullus? He, of course, could have been appointed, but most likely the choice would have fallen on the most famous and famous - on his brother, Lucius Licinius.
Lucius Lucullus was considered, and quite rightly, an outstanding commander. His army, the best army of the Republic, is Rome's last hope. The Senate simply had no other choice.
So, the Senate declares the Fatherland in danger and calls Lucius Lucullus from Asia - not alone, but with most of the army. Questor, deputy dictator, becomes his brother Mark. Pompey is ordered not to leave the outskirts of Rome until the arrival of troops from the East, limiting himself to passive defense. A severe winter on Italian scales temporarily interrupts the hostilities ...
Could it be? For sure. There are many examples in Roman history. For example, after the next defeats in the war with Hannibal, the best commander of that time, Marcellus, was called from Sicily, and Gnaeus Pompey was sent to help Metellus beaten by Sertorius. If you remember, Stalin also sent Zhukov to the most dangerous sectors of the front.
Here is the “fork” for you: Lucius Lucullus is a dictator, his army is in a hurry to Italy. What would happen next? To be honest, it's not that interesting anymore. I am sure, in the spring or summer, the Spartacists would have been defeated, however ... However, it did not matter, because the River of Time had already turned in a completely different direction.
What does it mean to summon Lucius Lucullus from Asia? This means to end the war with Mithridates without bringing it to the end. The cunning Pontic king would certainly have agreed to all the conditions - he would have given away the fleet, reduced the army to one battalion, paid any indemnity. This can even be considered a victory. However, Mithridates would still rule in Pontus, and the border of Roman possessions in Asia Minor did not advance further than the Halys River.
All! The Rome known to us no longer exists, there is something else, absolutely unfamiliar. It's not even about Mithridates, he could have been finished off in a few years, as happened in "our" history. But in this version of it, there would be no campaigns of Lucullus to the Caucasus, the defeat of Great Armenia, the breakthrough of the Romans into Syria and Phoenicia. While the war against runaway slaves continued in Italy, while the Republic licked its wounds, the situation in the East would change radically. In "our" version of the History, the Romans were extremely lucky, their troops ended up in Asia Minor and Syria at the most opportune moment. The power of the Seleucids fell apart, its fragments began a free "drift", and in the ensuing chaos, Rome managed - and managed! - go to the Euphrates. But the “window” opened by Fortune would very soon slam shut:
1. It was during these years that a new great power, Armenia, grew and took shape. Syria was already part of it, Armenian troops were approaching Egypt. In "our" history, Lucullus, and then Pompey, did not allow this empire to grow. Only a few years were not enough for Armenia to establish itself in Western Asia, but in our version, the Romans will come to the East TOO LATE.
2. No less of a threat was the young and aggressive Parthia. In the "Spartacus" version of history, the Parthians would quickly share the Near and Middle East with Armenia. As a result, the Roman power would not have established itself in the Caucasus, in the eastern part of Asia Minor, in Syria, Phoenicia, Palestine and, possibly, in Egypt.
3. After the start of another civil war in Rome (in "our" version - between Caesar and Pompey), Rome, much weaker than in real history, could hardly hold even western Asia Minor. Parthia and Armenia would certainly have tried to tear out a larger and heavier piece from the body of the wounded Wolf. In "our" history, the Parthians almost reached the Bosporus, but where would the Parthian cataphracts in the "Spartacus" version stop?
And here is the result: the border of the future Roman Empire will pass not along the mountains of Armenia and not along the Euphrates, but along the Aegean Sea. Of course, the Roman emperors would have waged wars for the return of Asia Minor (as in “our” version they fought for Armenia), but with the same, very variable, success. It is possible that Emperor Trajan would have even reached Damascus, but would not have held it, just as Ctesiphon could not hold back in “our” reality.
There will be no Roman East. There will be no Palmyra, Edessa, Comana, there will be no unique synthesis of Latin-Greek and Eastern civilizations.
Byzantium will not be born either. Will Constantine decide to move the capital to a small border town?
Think of the rest yourself, dear reader. Imagine our history without Byzantine civilization, without Cyril and Methodius, without Greek bishops in Kyiv. There will be something different, maybe worse, maybe better - but different, completely different.
... In the year 33 from R.Kh. in Yershalaim, the provincial center of Great Parthia, on the orders of the Parthian governor, a certain Yeshua will be crucified, accused of sacrilege and calls to overthrow the power of the Arshakids over Judea. His disciples will disperse throughout the Parthian state, from the Aegean Sea to Central Asia, convincing the adherents of Mitra, Ormuzd, Zoroaster and Buddha that He is the Messiah. The Jew Saul, a Parthian citizen who also bears the name Papak, will boldly go straight to Ctesiphon to the King of Kings to fearlessly bear witness to Christ. The Roman Empire, however, will only hear deaf rumors that the Jews in Parthia are worried because of some “Chrestiusha”. Only two centuries later, the first Christian community will be founded in Rome by Armenian emigrants...
Of course, things could have happened differently. Real story has considerable “elasticity”, it cannot be changed thanks to a crushed butterfly or a nail found in time. I took the extreme option, which seems almost unbelievable. But the army of Spartacus in the heart of Italy is too serious, it is something that can really change History. It was in the "Spartacus" years that Rome approached not even one, but several "forks", a push was enough ... Under Brundisium, the leader of the gladiators was really close to turning Saturn's Clepsydra over.
Did he guess about it? Did others guess? And if the Roman gods really existed, what did They think when the scales were still swinging?
So, the last drop has already fallen. Whose Time was running out in that snowy January? Spartacus? Crassus? Rome?
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After 10 years of life under threat, an outstanding Roman general comes to power. Under his leadership, the Roman army, recruited from wealthy citizens, turns into a powerful fighting force which the world had not seen before the village.
But now a violent uprising is brewing in the center of the republic. Bloody battles of slave gladiators became a favorite spectacle of the Romans. But in the 1st century BC, a rebellion broke out among the slaves against their oppressors. The name of their leader forever remained in history -.
Slaves in the Roman Republic
Powerful armies and wars of conquest brought him wealth and slaves. Captured on the battlefield and in conquered cities, slaves become commodities.
Slaves were human, and the Romans knew it. But they pretended they weren't, that they were nothing more than talking instruments.
In the period of the III-I centuries BC, the Roman Republic captured central and southern Italy and dominated almost the entire Mediterranean. Thanks to the conquests, the slave trade flourished, the demand for slaves constantly increased.
He decided pinch Spartacus with his newly spawned rebel army on top of a mountain in a stalemate. Thus Claudius hoped to defeat the rebels without any difficulty.
Plutarch, chronicles of the battle: “Claudius ordered his soldiers to guard one narrow and rather steep path leading to the top of the mountain. On all other sides there were sheer cliffs that were impossible to climb. The only way down for Spartacus and his comrades was cut off, the siege began.
Peak. Spartacus and his men make up a brilliant escape plan.
Plutarch: "Cutting vines suitable for this, the gladiators wove them into strong ladders of such length that they could reach from the upper edge of the rocks to the foot, and then safely descended."
As for the beginning of the uprising, there is one interesting thing here: how could Spartacus know the area better than anyone else? Today we can assume that shepherds and other people who know the surroundings of Vesuvius helped him. Apparently they liked him.
At the start of the uprising many slaves joined Spartacus from the surrounding farms, many of them were shepherds and knew the area well. They already had weapons, they were in excellent physical form, and they became soldiers of this gladiatorial army.
Spartacus and his growing army were able go down a cliff right behind Camp Glabra. The Romans underestimated the resolve of the slaves.
It must be understood that the soldiers chasing them looked more like policemen from comedy films than Caesar's legionnaires. These guys were not part of the regular army, they were not led by the best commanders, who, moreover, apparently did not know the countryside well, because they sent their slaves there.
The Romans greatly outnumbered the rebels, but the daring conspiracy of the slaves was a testament to their ingenuity, desperation, and hatred of their oppressors.
Decimation is a terrible punishment: every tenth was put to death without any proceedings. At the same time, the lot could fall on the one who did not even think of running away, it was the one who, despite the cowardice of the others, who remained on the battlefield in spite of the cowardice of the others, could be under attack - if there were no witnesses to that, then it was he who could become the tenth. Thus, being in the ranks as one of the contenders for execution, you lost hope for justice, a terrible death awaited you - your friends had to beat you to death with sticks and clubs, and this is not an easy, quick and honorable death.
With the help of decimation, Crassus made his troops fear him much more than Spartacus himself.
Decimation dishonored and those who beat the chosen one who may not have been a coward. In the name of discipline, more than 4,000 people were subjected to painful death. But cruelty has taken its toll: Crassus won the next battle against the rebel army.
Spartacus' deal with the pirates
Piceneum, Italy. 71 BC
Unlike previous opponents of Spartacus, Crassus was a very experienced warrior, he knew how to prepare an army, knew how to use its forces, he had the necessary experience. Spartacus first encountered a real Roman general, and not a petty politician leading an inexperienced detachment.
The battle was drawing near. Professional combat-ready Roman army against a group of desperate militant rebels. With the advent of Crassus, the balance of power began to shift not in the direction of Spartacus.
Pursued by the army of Crassus rebellious slaves fled south. But Spartak is already planning his next move.
Coastal waters of Italy were under control pirates. Like Spartacus, they live outside of Roman laws, or rather, outside of any laws. They only listen to the call of gold and transport slaves. Spartacus sends to them ambassadors.
Spartacus tried everything to safely get his people out of Italy. Finally, in desperation, he made a deal with the devil - with the Cilician pirates.
Cilicia is the territory of modern Turkey. Local pirates were known for their attacks on ships. But they also had the reputation of being the largest slave traders in the Mediterranean. Cilician pirates made a considerable income from the capture and sale of slaves.
Spartak must have understood what danger he goes: having agreed with the pirates that they would take his people out of Italy, he risked that they could all be sold into slavery again.
Most likely, he planned to get to Sicily, capture the island, establish his power there and create a new state where the rebels could speak with Rome on their own terms.
Slaves and Pirates singed an agreement: The Cilicians agreed to transport 2,000 slaves to Messina in Sicily. Spartacus hopes to expand the boundaries of the rebellion by avoiding the danger of meeting with Crassus.
But Crassus gave no time to escape, his legions were already closing in, ready to slaughter the slaves like wild beasts.
At this time, Spartacus and his army arrived at the border of Italy, but did not find any ships there: the pirates betrayed them and the Romans were already here.
Two dogs against one fox
Now the excellent army of Crassus stood in the way of Spartacus, which was the embodiment of the tactics and discipline that made Rome such a formidable force.
In this game, Crassus had no equal. He knew the power of Spartacus, but he also knew that time was on his side. He will cut off the rebels with a rampart and make them starve.
Plutarch writes: “This work was great and difficult, but Crassus completed it to the end and beyond expectations - quickly. Across the isthmus from one sea to another, he dug a ditch, and along the entire ditch he erected a wall that struck with its height and strength.
Crassus was well versed in all military innovations, he knew perfectly well how to use field fortifications. And as we can see, he demonstrated this in the fight against Spartacus.
This grandiose fortification stretched for 65 kilometers and had almost 5 meters high.
The 2nd century historian Plutarch: "When supplies began to run out and it was necessary to move to another place, Spartacus found himself locked up on the peninsula."
Spartacus was forced to stay. Any attempt to move north was thwarted by Roman fortifications. After three years of victories and throwing, the forces of the rebels turned out to be in a trap.
But the Senate, which ordered Crassus to quickly end the uprising, was tired of waiting for results. Historian Appian: "When the Romans learned about the siege of Crassus, they considered it a shame to drag out the war with the gladiators."
An envoy from Rome comes to the camp of Crassus: “ Senate lost faith in him delegates this task his opponent."
A talented commander returns from Spain as a hero to put down a bloody uprising of slaves. He is ordered to bring the suppression of the rebellion to the end point.
Pompey was probably one of the best generals of all who have ever been in Rome. Like Crassus, he was extremely ambitious, but possessed great military talents.
Pompey was great actor. He skillfully presented himself throughout Rome, this is in a certain sense a PR that other politicians of his time did not have.
He is ready to defeat Spartacus and take the glory of Crassus. Of course, if Crassus does not get ahead of him: two dogs against one fox.
Spartacus goes on the assault, trying to destroy the fortifications of Crassus, which he so carefully erected. Appian, "Chronicle of Escape": "Spartacus disturbed the besiegers in small bursts attacked them unexpectedly and decisively. He crucified the captive Roman, thus showing what awaits his army in case of defeat.
As soon as the rebels secretly get out of the trap, they will be in double danger: Pompey already goes according to them traces.
Pompey, if I may say so, earned himself the fame of an "honest guy." By the end of this long, exhausting, exhausting work, he will be able to prove himself and leave with the glory of the man who put an end to the war.
Pompey is closing in, and Crassus is increasingly desperate to put down the rebellion before he arrives.
Trying to prevent the blow of the Romans, Spartacus sends his man to Crassus with truce proposal. He remains calm and waits for an answer from Crassus, he is sure that the Romans are ready to listen to him.
Spartacus is trying to negotiate with the Roman commander, because he considers himself free, he does not see the difference between his army and the Roman army.
But upon the return of his envoy, it becomes clear: the Romans do not share his point of view, for them he is still a slave and an enemy.
WITH failure in negotiations the day comes, which Spartacus was so afraid of. Even if he defeats Crassus, Pompey will follow. Spartacus has nowhere to retreat, but he cannot surrender either.
The historian of the II century Plutarch: “Spartacus realized that the battle could not be avoided and lined up his army. Before the start of the battle, a horse was brought to him, but he drew his sword and killed him.
He proclaimed that if he won the battle, he would not need a horse: he would receive a thousand horses from the gods. If he loses, then he will no longer need his horse. Having said this, he dismounted, stood in the ranks of his soldiers and led them to the field. last battle.
The last battle of Spartacus
Crassus and his army met Spartacus near brundisia(modern Brindisi) - cities in the "heel of the Italian boot".
The battle has begun, the final moment of the three-year uprising - Crassus against Spartacus, the decisive battle of two great forces.
There is evidence that Spartacus was wounded in the leg, and the wound was so severe that he could not get up from his knees, but he continued to fight.
According to the historian Appian, the number of those killed was so great that it was beyond counting. Spartacus' body has not been found.
Spartacus would never have left the battlefield, although, of course, he had the opportunity to do so. He was able to show man of honor defending its principles as sincerely and selflessly as any free roman.
Crassus pursues the fugitives, killing everyone in his path. Six thousand of them he ordered to be crucified on poles and placed along the main road to Rome. The crosses were placed at a distance of about 9 meters from each other in a chain long 230 kilometers. Thus, you can imagine the stench and disgusting picture that everyone who passes along this road encounters. If you were a Roman, then this stench would be for you not just the smell of dead slaves - even their rotting disgusting appearance would cause you joy. For the slaves, this picture became a warning: this is what awaits you if you rebel against Rome.
Crassus crushed the rebellion, but some of the rebels succeeded avoid reprisals. However, true to himself Pompey had the last laugh.
Pompey appeared just when about 5 thousand gladiators were trying to escape from the field of this terrible battle. And he captured or killed them all.
Then, according to Plutarch, Pompey gains confidence that all the honors will go to him. Pompey wrote to the Senate that Crassus defeated the fugitive slaves in an open battle, and he destroyed the very root of the war.
Pompey's career seems to be very interesting. As a matter of fact, Pompey behaved like a vulture, because he fed on the blood of someone else's prey.
When it's over Pompeii will expect triumph and universal honor for his battle with his enemies in Spain. Crassus honored only little gratitude for his efforts against the army of slaves who terrorized Italy.
Spartacus - a legend and a cult hero
Although with the death of Spartacus in 71 BC. comes end of the slave uprising in Rome, slavery continues to strengthen the economy of the nascent empire, but the lessons learned from the rebellion will not be forgotten by the Romans.
In the minds of most Romans, Spartacus continued to be the devil in the flesh: even without seeing him, people continued to be afraid, afraid that he would have followers.
As a result of this rebellion, the Romans realized that they must keep their army in the best possible shape. Perhaps it was at this time that they first thought about the need for a regular professional army, which would maintain order within the country and could protect them from foreign invaders.
But even a mighty power cannot defend itself forever. Long after the last pockets of rebellion subside, the story of one man who rebelled against Rome will live on.
Spartacus turned into legend, he became a cult hero for all the disadvantaged and oppressed, who has retained his relevance to this day.
But as long as there is power, there will be inequality.