So back to the question 'When was Spartacus Born?'. When was Spartacus Born? Good question - difficult answer! The Romans documented the slave rebellion led by the Roman slave but naturally the authors of the day wrote about their own commanders and their victories, so factual information about Spartacus is somewhat limited. In the period that this famous slave lived it is estimated that about 1 million people lived in the city of Rome and that of these about 400,000 were slaves - it is therefore no wonder that the name of Spartacus struck terror into the hearts of Romans. This slave uprising threatened the very heart of Rome. Third Servile War (Gladiator War or the War of Spartacus) was different.
Sicily was quite a distance away - too far to worry the Romans. However the Fist and Second Servile Wars did not particularly concern those living in Rome. Why Did Rome Fear Spartacus? It is estimated that the number of slaves in Roman Italy, at its peak, was about one and a half million which was about 25% of the total population. History of Spartacus - Why Did Rome Fear him? Much of the Roman economy was based on the slave trade. These wars started with small bands of rebels but were joined by tens of thousands of slave followers wishing to escape the oppressive life of a Roman slave. Background History to Spartacus - The Servile Wars (Slave Uprisings)ĭuring 135 BC and 104 BC the First and Second Servile Wars, or slave uprisings, erupted in Sicily.
