Spartacus (1960) Review: A Roman Classic
The movie begins with Spartacus biting a Roman soldier’s ankle in an act of defiance. He is sentenced to death by starvation. While he is left out to die, he is seen by a Roman named Batiatus, who owns a gladiatorial school. Batiatus is impressed with Spartacus’ spirit and purchases him to become a gladiator. While at the gladiatorial school, Spartacus is trained to become a gladiator by Marcellus and meets Varinia. Next Crassus shows up at the gladiator school, purchases Varinia, and arranges for Spartacus and three other gladiators to fight to the death. Spartacus’ opponent, Draba, refuses to kill Spartacus and is ultimately killed by Crassus. The next day Varinia is taken to go to Crassus’ house in Rome. Marcellus taunts Spartacus over Varinia, which leads to a riot, and Spartacus and the gladiators escape. Spartacus becomes their leader, and many other slaves join with them, including Varinia, who escaped, and Antoninus, an ex-servant of Crassus.
Spartacus and his men defeat the Roman garrison sent to destroy him, led by Glabrus. The Roman Senate panics and gives power to Crassus. Crassus bribes the pirates who were going to help Spartacus escape, and Spartacus is forced to turn north towards Rome. Crassus’ army meets Spartacus’ and wins. Crassus attempts to identify Spartacus among the survivors, but all the survivors refuse to help, instead shouting “I am Spartacus!” Crassus then sentences them all to death by crucifixion. Crassus also takes Varinia, who has given birth to Spartacus’ son. When Varinia rejects him, he seeks out Spartacus and forces him to fight Antoninus to the death. Spartacus kills Antoninus to spare him from crucifixion. The movie ends with Varinia escaping Rome and meeting the crucified Spartacus on the Appian Way, who dies knowing that his son is free.
One topic that we discussed in class that came up in this movie is the Roman conception of friendship. Early in the movie Spartacus attempts to befriend Draba in the gladiatorial school by getting to know him. This is a nontraditional conception of Roman friendship since there was no transactional element and neither gained anything socially from the friendship. A more traditional sense of Roman friendship is seen between Batiatus and Gracchus, Crassus’ main opponent in the Senate. Batiatus and Gracchus have a friendship because they are each able to gain something. Gracchus is able to use Batiatus’ information about Spartacus and Varinia to attempt to take down Crassus, and Batiatus is able to use Gracchus’ influence to get back at Crassus for causing the destruction of his gladiatorial school.
