Third Servile War facts for kids
The Third Servile War was a huge rebellion by slaves against the powerful Roman Republic. It's also known as the Gladiator War or the War of Spartacus. This war was the last of several slave uprisings in ancient Rome. These rebellions are called the Servile Wars.
The Third Servile War was very serious for Italy itself. It scared the Roman people a lot because the slaves actually won many battles against the Roman army. This happened between 73 BC and 71 BC. Finally, the rebellion was stopped in 71 BC by a Roman general named Marcus Licinius Crassus. This war had a big impact on Roman politics for many years afterward.
The Great Slave Rebellion
In 73 BC, a group of slaves managed to escape. It started with a small group of about 78 gladiators. Gladiators were trained fighters, often slaves, who fought for entertainment. This small group quickly grew into a huge army of over 120,000 people. This included men, women, and children.
They traveled all over Italy, raiding towns and farms without much trouble. Their main leader was the famous gladiator, Spartacus. The grown-up slaves in this group became a surprisingly strong fighting force. They showed they could stand up to the Roman military. This included local patrols, Roman citizen armies, and even trained Roman legions. Roman legions were large units of professional soldiers.
Some historians, like Plutarch, said the slaves wanted to escape their masters. They tried to flee through a region called Cisalpine Gaul. Other historians, like Appian and Florus, believed the slaves were fighting a civil war. They thought the slaves wanted to capture the city of Rome itself.
The Roman Senate became very worried about the slaves' success. The Senate was the main governing body of the Roman Republic. The slaves were causing a lot of damage to Roman towns and the countryside. After several defeats, the Senate finally put a large army in charge of Marcus Licinius Crassus. He was a very strict but effective leader.
The war ended in 71 BC. Spartacus's armies fought long and hard, but they had to retreat from Crassus's legions. They soon realized that other Roman armies were closing in. These armies were led by Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus and Marcus Terentius Varro Lucullus. The slaves then launched a final, desperate attack against Crassus's legions. They were completely defeated.
The Third Servile War was important because of how it affected the careers of Pompey and Crassus. Both generals used their victory to become more powerful in Roman politics. They used their fame and the power of their armies to influence elections. They became Consuls in 70 BC. A Consul was one of the two highest elected officials in the Roman Republic. Their actions helped change the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire later on.
Images for kids
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The Fall of Spartacus
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The Gladiator Mosaic at the Galleria Borghese
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Spartacus, by Denis Foyatier, c. 1830, displayed at the Louvre. This is an example of how Spartacus is shown as a hero today.
See also
In Spanish: Tercera guerra servil para niños
