Primary Source Analysis

Brooke Tripp

LST 100

MW 12:30

Question #1

9/24/15

Spartacus and the Slave Wars

When the First Slave War broke out in Sicily in the year 135 B.C., no one knew

that in years to follow, there would be additional slave rebellions, such as the Second

Slave War and the Spartacus War. The wars all had similarities and differences. They

followed some of the same patterns early on. However, every war had one thing in

common: their aim. The goal of the slaves was to free themselves from the conditions

that they were living in.

One similarity that was easily noticeable in all three wars was that there were

slave commanders that led the forces. In the First Slave War, which took place from

135 B.C. to 132 B.C., the commanders were Eunus and Kleon. According to Livy,

“Eunus collected a force of rural slaves, broke open the slave barracks, and in this way

raised the number of his men to those of a regular army.” (Livy 95) Livy also wrote in

First Century B.C. that, “another slave, named Cleon likewise gathered together about

seventy thousand slaves.” (Livy 95) While Athenian and Salvius led during the Second

Slave War. In the last Slave War, Spartacus was a leader. “Spartacus, the leader of the

gladiators, was one of the seventy-four men who escaped from the gladiatorial school

and waged a major war against the Roman people…” (Sallust 145)

In addition, another similarity is that all three slave uprisings were unsuccessful.

In the First Slave War, “Marcus Perperna, the consul, defeated Aristonicus and received

his surrendor.” (Livy 95) Diodorus Siculus, referencing the Second Slave War, wrote,

“Aquillius killed Athenian…” (Sirculus 119) Florus, a Latin author from North Africa,

wrote about the defeat of Spartacus. He wrote, “Spartacus himself died fighting bravely

at the front of his men, just like a true general.” (Florus 155)

Spartacus and the slaves who rebelled with him repeated some of the early

patterns that had taken place in the previous...