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Historical Background || Possible Histories || Interesting Tidbits


In the golden age of Hollywood, many people became fascinated by the Roman period. The Romans were often seen as corrupt and extravagant. Interestingly enough, most of them had British accents. One of the topics that most movies could not pass over were the poor Christians of early Rome. The romanticized tale of the good Christians against the Emperors are as classic as the Bible stories.
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One of the most popular Hollywood movie of the Roman period is Spartacus, starring Kirk Douglas and directed by Stanley Kubrick. The film was politically heightened because Kirk Douglas hired the Dalton Trumbo to adopt Howard Fast's highly convoluted novel to film. Trumbo had been blacklisted during the MarCarthy era. The film itself when it first came out was opposed by the American Legion. However, President John F. Kennedy saw the movie publicly and endorsed it over their objections. In the end, it became one of the most successful Roman genre films.

Historical Background
The sources themselves differ on who Spartacus was exactly. There are some facts, that are generally accepted.


Possible Histories

  • According to Plutarch, Spartacus had a wife
  • Plutarch also claims that Lentulus Batiatus, owner of gladiatorial school in Capua, was cruel to his slaves.
  • Plutarch was obviously sympathetic towards Spartacus. He even claims that Spartacus behaved more like a Greek than a Thacian. He justified Spartacus's march on Rome by saying that the Cilician pirates who were to transport his men out of Italy were bribed (as seen in the movie) instead of wanting vengeance and attacking Rome as some other sources claim.
  • 6,000 of Spartacus' men crucified along the Appian Way
 Interesting Tidbits
  • In the new released version of the film, the original homosexual scene between Crassus and Antoninus was cut out of the original release. Historical sources show that many upper class Roman men did practice bisexuality though not to the extent of the Greeks.
  • The speech that Crassius makes to Gracchus towards the end of the film is almost taken directly out of speeches made by Joe MarCarthy
  • Not really a fact, just a random comment. My favorite scene in this movie was when Gaius Gacchus decide to kill himself with the prettier dagger. I think it takes a great man to be able to have such levity in the moment of death.


Historical Background || Possible Histories || Interesting Tidbits