Destined to fight and die in servitude, a group of rebel Gladiators plot their escape. Led to freedom by none other than the heroic ex-Roman soldier and master of combat, Spartacus, the rebels emerge on Mount Vesuvius. Though their escape is ultimately successful, their life of freedom will be short-lived. What starts as a small hoard of self-liberated slaves grows into a rebellion of tens of thousands. How does the Roman army exploit the rebels' weakness in the final bloody battle? What tactics lead to their undoing? Why did this turn into one of the most violent episodes of slave resistance in history? The rebels ultimately face defeat, but their insurgency leaves a lasting impact on the Roman state, paving the way for a new age of politics.
Up Next in Revolutions That Changed History - Season 1
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Boudica's Revolt
From the outset of the Roman conquest of Britannia, the flame of rebellion is smouldering. Many of the Celtic tribes are forced to submit to Emperor Claudius, with the exception of the Iceni. Granted their local independence, all remains relatively quiet for over a decade. But with the death of t...
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Wat Tyler's Rebellion
In the wake of the Black Death a labour shortage gives the underclass leverage to demand better wages, but England's involvement in the Hundred Year War has left the treasury empty and Britain's Baron's are sick of paying for it all. Their solution? Levy new taxes against the working class. An ac...
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The French Revolution
During the Ancien Regime, France is composed of the Clergy, the Nobility and everyone else... With none of the rights or privileges of the other two, the Third Estate's chance to escape a life of squalor can only come on a tide of change. One that will ultimately bring in a new order, but first c...
