Spartacus (TV series)

***Spartacus*** is a TV series. It includes a **first**, **second**, **third**, **fourth** and **fifth** seasons. It is set in the **Roman Cinematic Universe**, and was produced by HBO. The series is based on the **Third Servile War**, through the viewpoints of several different rebels. Another season, named season 0, portrays Spartacus' life inside Batiatus' Ludus.

## Story

News spreads of a slave revolt in Capua following a break out of Gladiators from the Ludus of Lanista Lentulus Batiatus. With Capua's city militia destroyed, the Roman senate sends Praetor Gaius Claudius Glaber to handle the threat. The rebel leader comes to be known as Spartacus, and with him his four generals Crixus, Oenomaus, Gannicus and Castus. At first, Glaber succeeds in forcing the rebels to seek refuge atop Mount Vesuvius. However, with no fortifications built, Glaber is easily tricked and defeated by Spartacus' force in the dead of night.

With this first defeat, the rebel ranks quickly grow with many thousands of runaway slaves, and in the pursuing months, many small towns and cities around Italia are attacked and plundered, and many more Roman armies are destroyed. Praetor Publius Varinius, with his commanders Lucius Cossinius, Lucius Furius and Gaius Toranius are also defeated by Spartacus, causing the senate to send two consuls, Gellius Publicola and Cornelius Lentulus, to end the rebellion. Crixus separates from Spartacus with his own army, only to be defeated by Publicola in Apulia near the Garganus Mountains. Spartacus is left to face both Publicola and Lentulus' forces on both sides, and defeats them both. Gladiatorial games are held to honour Crixus and the other fallen rebels. The senate is left with no choice but to send Marcus Licinius Crassus, richest man in the Republic, to defeat Spartacus. After one victory against Crassus' commander Mummius, Crassus wins victory after victory against the rebels. Gannicus and Castus eventually separate from Spartacus, leading to them and their army being defeated in Cantenna. Spartacus is forced into a final battle against Crassus and his legions, and is defeated. Spartacus dies of his wounds, a free man. After hearing news of Pompey's arrival back to Rome and his last minute victory over the rebels led by Publipor, Crassus decides crucify the thousands of rebels he has captured along the Appian Way, as a warning to any future rebellion. The surviving rebels part ways, some hoping to live free over the Alps, while others choose to test their luck, and find a new life in Italia, under the nose of their former masters.

### Overview

The story stays close with the historical events. It takes place from early 73 BC to mid 71 BC, beginning with the breakout from the ludus of Lentulus Batiatus, and ending at the Silarus River (modern Sele River) in Campania. Unlike all other adaptations, the rebellion will be led by all 5 historic leaders, Spartacus, Crixus, Oenomaus, Gannicus and Castus. This series will also present other historical Romans left from other adaptations, such as Cornelius Lentulus and Gellius Publicola.

Names of historically known Romans will not be changed, and historical figures will not have fictional family members (such as Tiberius in ***Spartacus: War of the Damned***).

The show will display the different nationalities of the rebels even more, even if they are displayed subtly, such as the different religions, customs and languages among the rebels. We will also display the Roman integration of the rebellion, as there would have been many Roman-born rebels.

Another thing we will display is that the rebellion wasn't on black and white terms; there were shades of grey, and the series will depict Spartacus as a troubled and flawed individual, not a heroic freedom fighter; this can open the series to have view points focused on various rebels and roman characters.

Each season of this series will cover one relevant battle of the rebellion.

* **Season 1** will focus on the beginning of the rebellion, and the defeat of Claudius Glaber at Mount Vesuvius
* **Season 2** will focus on the growing of Spartacus' rebellion, the growing cult his Tresura creates and their conflict against Publius Varinius.
* **Season 3** will cover Cornelius Lentulus, Gellius Publicola, the death of Crixus and Spartacus' defeat of their armies.
* **Season 4** will cover the rebels' march north to Mutina and his attempt and failure to cross over the alps
* **Season 5** will cover Marcus Crassus and the end of the rebellion.

## Cast

*Main article:* ***Spartacus (TV series)/Cast***
### Main Cast

#### Rebels

* **Richard Armitage** as **Spartacus**, a Thracian who is condemned to slavery and the arena as a Gladiator for abandoning the Roman army. He goes on to lead the greatest slave rebellion in history, against Rome itself.
* **Hayley Atwell** as **Tresura**, a Thracian priestess and the wife of Spartacus, who becomes enslaved alongside him, later supporting him in the rebellion. She becomes an important part of the rebellion, inspiring thousands of fugitives to join the cause.
* **Travis Fimmel** as **Crixus**, a Gallic Gladiator who becomes one of Spartacus' closest friends and generals in the rebellion.
* **Paul Bettany** as **Gannicus**, a Gallic Gladiator who becomes one of Spartacus' generals in the rebellion.
* **Damian Lewis** as **Castus**, a Celtic Gladiator who becomes one of Spartacus' generals in the rebellion, serving under Gannicus.
* **Sullivan Stapleton** as **Oenomaus**, a Germanic gladiator who becomes one of Spartacus' closest friends and generals.
* **TBA** as **Publipor**, a Greek slave, who at first is a hostage and guide of the rebels, but becomes a rebel himself.

#### Romans

* **Ioan Gruffudd** as **Gaius Claudius Glaber**, a Roman Praetor. Ambitious, he will stop at nothing to
* **TBA** as **Publius Varinius**, a Roman praetor sent to defeat Spartacus after Glaber's defeat
* **Roger Allam** as **Lucius Cossinius**, a Roman tribune
* **TBA** as **Lucius Furius**, a Roman tribune under Varinius' command
* **David Morrissey** as **Cornelius Lentulus**, a Roman consul
* **Michael McElhatton** as **Gellius Publicola**, a Roman consul
* **Richard E. Grant** as **Marcus Licinius Crassus**, a Roman legatus and the richest man in the Roman Republic.
* **Ed Speleers** as **Gaius Julius Caesar**
* **TBA** as **Marcus Mitanus**, a Roman Legionary placed under Crassus' command,

#### Spartacus (season 0)

* **Stephen Moyer** as **Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Batiatus**, a Roman lanista who purchases Spartacus and Tresura.
* **Minnie Driver** as **Aurelia Varia**, the wife of Batiatus
* **Roger Ashton-Griffiths** as **Gaius Aurelius Scaurus**, a Roman lanista in Capua and a rival of Batiatus.

### Supporting Cast

#### Rebels

* **Jonny Lee Miller** as **Carbo**, a former Roman legionary and gladiator of Batiatus who joins the rebellion.
* **TBA** as **Lugurix**, a Gallic Gladiator of Batiatus who becomes a subordinate of Crixus.
* **Ben Barnes** as **Psammus**, a Greek from the city of Forum Annii who joins the rebellion.
* **Sam Claflin** and **Jamie Campbell Bower** as **Odaus** and **Thromos**, twin brothers from Thrace who join the rebellion.
* **Iain Glen** as **Trius**, a Greek and a former Gladiator who joins the rebellion.
* **Max Von Sydow** as **Thenus**, a Greek slave and survivor of the first slave rebellion against Rome who becomes Spartacus' close confidant.
* **Samantha Spiro** as **Angania**, Thenus' friend and carer.
* **Simon Armstrong** as **Crito**, a veteran Gladiator who becomes a prominent rebel in the rebellion.
* **Hannah John-Kamen** as **Varinia**, a Gallic rebel and the lover of Crixus
* **TBA** as **Cynbenius**, a Sicilian Gladiator of Batiatus

#### Romans

* **Stuart Townsend** as **Quintus Marcius Rufus**, a tribune under Crassus' command.
* **Linus Roache** as **Marcus Mummius**, one of Crassus' commanders
* **TBA** as **Tertulla**, the wife of Crassus
* **TBA** as **Claudia Glabera**, the daughter of Glaber

#### Cilician pirates

* **TBA** as **Heracleo**, a leader of the pirates
* **TBA** as **Orsino**, a leader of the pirates
* **TBA** as **Stramos**
* **TBA** as **Ramat**

## *The Spartacans*

A companion TV series, centering on the perspectives of other rebels in the rebellion.

## Notes

* The show will introduce a "re-created" Thracian, Dacian, Germanic and Gallic language, with certain words indicating each characters nationality.
* As with the Starz Spartacus series, this series will also contain the same mode of dialogue, such as *"does he/she yet draw breathe?"* meaning *"is he/she still alive?"*, or *"what purpose requires it?"* meaning *"what is it for?"*.