As the warrior slept, a snake coiled around his face. Instead of a threat, his wife saw an omen– a fearsome power that would lead her husband to either glory or doom. For now, however, he was only a slave – one of millions taken from the territories conquered by Rome to work the mines, till the fields, or fight for the crowd’s entertainment. A nomadic Thracian from what is now Bulgaria, he had served in the Roman Army but was imprisoned for desertion. His name was Spartacus.
Dok je ratnik spavao, zmija mu se smotala oko lica. Njegova supruga to nije videla kao pretnju već kao predskazanje - kao golemu snagu koja će da vodi njenog supruga bilo do slave ili propasti. Zasad, međutim, on je bio samo rob - jedan među milionima drugih odvedenih sa teritorija koje je osvojio Rim, kako bi radili u rudnicima, obrađivali polja ili se borili u ime zabave za rulju. Nomadski Tračanin, sa prostora današnje Bugarske, služio je u rimskoj vojsci, ali je utamničen zbog dezerterstva. Njegovo ime je bilo Spartak.
Spartacus had been brought to Capua by Batiatus, a lanista, or trainer of gladiators. And life at the ludus, or gladiator school, was unforgiving. New recruits were forced to swear an oath “to be burned, to be bound, to be beaten, and to be killed by the sword,” and to obey their master’s will without question. But even harsh discipline couldn’t break Spartacus’s spirit. In 73 BCE, Spartacus led 73 other slaves to seize knives and skewers from the kitchen and fight their way out, hijacking a wagon of gladiator equipment along the way. They were done fighting for others– now, they fought for their freedom.
Spartaka je u Kapuu doveo Bacijat, lanista, to jest, obučavalac za gladijatore. A život u ludusu, to jest školi za gladijatore, bio je bespoštedan. Novi regruti su prisiljavani da polože zakletvu „da će da budu spaljivani, vezani, prebijani i da će da poginu od mača“, kao i da će da se povinuju gospodarevoj volji bez pogovora. Međutim, čak ni stroga disciplina nije mogla da slomi Spartakov duh. Godine 73. p.n.e, Spartak je predvodio 73 roba kako bi oteli noževe i ražnje iz kuhinje i tako se probili napolje, usput otimajući teretna kola sa opremom za gladijatore. Bilo im je dosta borbe za druge - sada su se borili za sopstvenu slobodu.
When the news reached Rome, the Senate was too busy with wars in Spain and the Pontic Empire to worry about some unruly slaves. Unconcerned, praetor Claudius Glaber took an army of three thousand men to the rebel’s refuge at Mount Vesuvius, and blocked off the only passage up the mountain. All that remained was to wait and starve them out– or so he thought. In the dead of night, the rebels lowered themselves down the cliffside on ropes made from vines, and flanked Glaber’s unguarded camp. Thus began the legend of Rome’s defiant gladiator.
Kada su vesti stigle do Rima, senat je bio suviše zauzet ratovima u Španiji i s Pontskim kraljevstvom da bi brinuo o nekakvim neposlušnim robovima. Neopterećen, pretor Klaudije Glaber je poveo armiju od tri hiljade ljudi do utočišta pobunjenika na planini Vezuv i blokirali su jedini prilaz planini. Samo je trebalo da sačekaju i da ih izgladne - bar su tako mislili. U gluvo doba noći, pobunjenici su se spustili niz padinu na konopcima od lijana i opkolili su Glaberov nebranjeni logor. Time počinje legenda o rimskom prkosnom gladijatoru.
As news of the rebellion spread, its ranks swelled with escaped slaves, deserting soldiers, and hungry peasants. Many were untrained, but Spartacus’s clever tactics transformed them into an effective guerrilla force. A second Roman expedition led by praetor Varinius, was ambushed while the officer bathed. To elude the remaining Roman forces, the rebels used their enemy’s corpses as decoy guards, stealing Varinius’s own horse to aid their escape.
Kako su se vesti o pobuni širile, pobunjenicima su se masovno pridruživali odbegli robovi, vojnici dezerteri i gladni seljaci. Većina nije imala vojnu obuku, međutim, Spartakova pametna taktika ih je preobrazila u efikasnu gerilsku snagu. Drugu rimsku ekspediciju predvođenu pretorom Varinijem su napali iz zasede dok se zapovednik kupao. Kako bi obmanuli preostale rimske trupe, pobunjenici su koristili neprijateljske leševe da bi odvratili pažnju stražarima, kradući Varinijevog konja da im pomogne u bekstvu.
Thanks to his inspiring victories and policy of distributing spoils equally, Spartacus continued attracting followers, and gained control of villages where new weapons could be forged. The Romans soon realized they were no longer facing ragtag fugitives, and in the spring of 72 BCE, the Senate retaliated with the full force of two legions. The rebels left victorious, but many lives were lost in the battle, including Spartacus’ lieutenant Crixus. To honor him, Spartacus held funeral games, forcing his Roman prisoners to play the role his fellow rebels had once endured.
Zahvaljujući inspirativnim pobedama i politikom ravnomerne raspodele plena, Spartak je sve više privlačio sledbenike i dobijao je kontrolu nad selima gde su mogli da kuju novo oružje. Rimljani su ubrzo shvatili da više nisu suočeni sa neorganizovanim beguncima, i u proleće 72. godine p.n.e, Senat je krenuo svom silinom od dve legije u odmazdu. Pobunjenici su odneli pobedu, ali mnogi životi su izgubljeni u bici, uključujući Spartakovog poručnika Kriksa. Kako bi mu odao poštu, Spartak je održao pogrebne igre, terajući rimske zatvorenike da igraju uloge koje su njegova braća pobunjenici nekad trpeli.
By the end of 72 BCE, Spartacus’ army was a massive force of roughly 120,000 members. But those numbers proved difficult to manage. With the path to the Alps clear, Spartacus wanted to march beyond Rome’s borders, where his followers would be free. But his vast army had grown brash. Many wanted to continue pillaging, while others dreamed of marching on Rome itself. In the end, the rebel army turned south– forgoing what would be their last chance at freedom.
Do kraja 72. godine p.n.e, Spartakova armija je bila masivna sila od skoro 120 000 članova. Međutim, ispostavilo se da je teško upravljati tolikim mnoštvom. Kako je prolaz do Alpa bio čist, Spartak je želeo da izmaršira van rimskih granica, gde bi njegovi sledbenici bili slobodni. Međutim, njegova ogromna armija je postala drska. Mnogi su želeli da nastave sa haranjem, dok su drugi sanjali o marširanju na sami Rim. Na kraju je pobunjenička armija skrenula južno - zaputivši se u nešto što će da bude njihova poslednja šansa za oslobođenje.
Meanwhile, Marcus Licinius Crassus had assumed control of the war. As Rome’s wealthiest citizen, he pursued Spartacus with eight new legions, eventually trapping the rebels in the toe of Italy. After failed attempts to build rafts, and a stinging betrayal by local pirates, the rebels made a desperate run to break through Crassus’s lines– but it was no use. Roman reinforcements were returning from the Pontic wars, and the rebels’ ranks and spirits were broken. In 71 BCE, they made their last stand. Spartacus nearly managed to reach Crassus before being cut down by centurions. His army was destroyed, and 6000 captives were crucified along the Appian Way– a haunting demonstration of Roman authority.
U međuvremenu, Mark Licinije Kras je preuzeo kontrolu nad ratom. Kao najimućniji rimski građanin, krenuo je u poteru za Spartakom sa osam novih legija, na kraju zarobivši pobunjenike u prstu Italije. Nakon neuspelog pokušaja da sagrade splavove, kao i gorke izdaje od strane lokalnih pirata, pobunjenici su krenuli u očajnički beg, probijajući se kroz Krasove redove - no nije bilo pomoći. Rimska pojačanja su stizala iz pontskih ratova i pobunjeničke trupe i duh su slomljeni. Godine 71. p.n.e. su pružili poslednji otpor. Spartak skoro da je uspeo da se domogne Krasa pre nego što su ga centurioni posekli. Njegova armija je uništena, a 6 000 zarobljenika je razapeto na krst duž Vije Apije u znak upečatljive demonstracije rimskog autoriteta.
Crassus won the war, but it is not his legacy which echoes through the centuries. Thousands of years later, the name of the slave who made the world’s mightiest empire tremble has become synonymous with freedom– and the courage to fight for it.
Kras je pobedio u ratu, međutim, nije njegovo nasleđe ono koje odjekuje vekovima. Hiljadama godina kasnije, ime roba zbog koga je najmoćnije carstvo na svetu drhtalo postalo je sinonim za slobodu - i hrabrost da se za nju bori.