the response of romans hampered absence of roman legions, engaged in fighting revolt in spain , third mithridatic war. furthermore, romans considered rebellion more of policing matter war. rome dispatched militia under command of praetor gaius claudius glaber, besieged spartacus , camp on mount vesuvius, hoping starvation force spartacus surrender. surprised when spartacus, had made ropes vines, climbed down cliff side of volcano men , attacked unfortified roman camp in rear, killing of them.
the rebels defeated second expedition, capturing praetor commander, killing lieutenants , seizing military equipment. these successes, more , more slaves flocked spartacan forces, did many of herdsmen , shepherds of region , swelling ranks 70,000.
in these altercations spartacus proved excellent tactician, suggesting may have had previous military experience. though rebels lacked military training, displayed skillful use of available local materials , unusual tactics when facing disciplined roman armies. spent winter of 73–72 bc training, arming , equipping new recruits, , expanding raiding territory include towns of nola, nuceria, thurii , metapontum. distance between these locations , subsequent events indicate slaves operated in 2 groups commanded remaining leaders spartacus , crixus.
in spring of 72 bc, rebels left winter encampments , began move northward. @ same time, roman senate, alarmed defeat of praetorian forces, dispatched pair of consular legions under command of lucius gellius publicola , gnaeus cornelius lentulus clodianus. 2 legions successful—defeating group of 30,000 rebels commanded crixus near mount garganus—but defeated spartacus. these defeats depicted in divergent ways 2 comprehensive (extant) histories of war appian , plutarch.
alarmed unstoppable rebellion, senate charged marcus licinius crassus, wealthiest man in rome , volunteer position, ending rebellion. crassus put in charge of 8 legions, approximately 40,000 trained roman soldiers, treated harsh, brutal, discipline, reviving punishment of unit decimation. when spartacus , followers, unclear reasons had retreated south of italy, moved northward again in 71 bc, crassus deployed 6 of legions on borders of region , detached legate mummius 2 legions maneuver behind spartacus. though ordered not engage rebels, mummius attacked @ seemingly opportune moment routed. after this, crassus legions victorious in several engagements, forcing spartacus farther south through lucania crassus gained upper hand. end of 71 bc, spartacus encamped in rhegium (reggio calabria), near strait of messina.
a modern depiction of fall of spartacus.
according plutarch, spartacus made bargain cilician pirates transport him , 2,000 of men sicily, intended incite slave revolt , gather reinforcements. however, betrayed pirates, took payment , abandoned rebels. minor sources mention there attempts @ raft , shipbuilding rebels means escape, crassus took unspecified measures ensure rebels not cross sicily, , efforts abandoned. spartacus forces retreated toward rhegium. crassus legions followed , upon arrival built fortifications across isthmus @ rhegium, despite harassing raids rebels. rebels under siege , cut off supplies.
at time, legions of pompey returned hispania , ordered senate head south aid crassus. while crassus feared pompey s arrival cost him credit, spartacus unsuccessfully tried reach agreement crassus. when crassus refused, portion of spartacus forces fled toward mountains west of petelia (modern strongoli) in bruttium, crassus legions in pursuit.
when legions managed catch portion of rebels separated main army, discipline among spartacus forces broke down small groups independently attacking oncoming legions. spartacus turned forces around , brought entire strength bear on legions in last stand, in rebels routed completely, vast majority of them being killed on battlefield.
the final battle saw assumed defeat of spartacus in 71 bc took place on present territory of senerchia on right bank of river sele in area includes border oliveto citra of calabritto, near village of quaglietta, in high sele valley, @ time part of lucania. in area, since 1899, there have been finds of armour , swords of roman era.
plutarch, appian , florus claim spartacus died during battle, appian reports body never found. 6 thousand survivors of revolt captured legions of crassus crucified, lining appian way rome capua.
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