Spartacus: Blood and Sand

The Thracian

Spartacus’ real name is unknown, so he is commonly referred to as The Thracian. The Thracian was born in Thrace, to parents who died when he was just a child. As a young man he gained a reputation as a womanizer throughout the local villages, and was given much praise by the women who kept his company. Eventually he would meet Sura, who before long would become his wife. The Thracian is a proud warrior and is devoted to his wife, and his cause.  

As a warrior, the Thracian became involved with Roman soldiers, in order battle the Getae, a mutual enemy. The soldiers in question are under the command of Legatus, Claudius Glaber. Glaber backs out of battle against the Getae at the last moment and the Thracian feels betrayed, leading a mutiny before returning home to find his village destroyed. The Thracian and his wife are soon captured by Glaber, condemning him to die in the gladiator arena, and for Sura to be sold as a slave.  

The Thracian is taken to Capua where he will be executed, fighting against four gladiators in the arena. However, he is able to defeat the four gladiators meant to kill him, and wins favour with the crowd. Quintus Lentulus Batiatus, a ludus owner purchases the Thracian to train as a gladiator. Spartacus is the name given to the Thracian, by Batiatus when he enters the ludus, after a Thracian king of old.  

The Gladiator

When Spartacus first enters the ludus, he is extremely stubborn and is often humiliated by the other gladiators. Spartacus is to be trained by Doctore, a former gladiator but is found to be difficult to work with, and will not obey any man, driven only by rage and the will to find his wife. Batiatus makes a deal with Spartacus, agreeing to find his wife, as long as Spartacus accepts him as his master. Despite the common dislike of Spartacus, he manages to befriend a fellow trainee, Varro. Crixus, an undefeated Gaul, and the prime gladiator of the ludus as well as Barca, a Carthaginian constantly harass Spartacus.  

Spartacus’ first fight in the arena is against Crixus, and he loses miserably. Surrendering, he lives to fight another day but gains dishounor and must fight In The Pit. The pit is brutal and lacks laws, and he is victorious in his battles. While in the Pit he saves Batiatus, his master from an assaination attempt. Spartacus’ second fight in the arena is a team battle, against a giant. He is paired with Crixus to battle against the legendary Theokoles, who is also known as the Shadow of Death. The pair manage to injure Theokoles, and for the moment they believe they had won, Theokoles wounds Crixus. Spartacus finishes the fight agasint Theokoles, and decapitates him. Spartacus now holds the title of the Champion of Capua.  

The Campion of Capua

 As a reward for his great battle, Spartacus is given a set of gladiatorial armour and a room of his very own, inside to ludus. Spartacus spends his time awaiting the return of his wife, and ploting the escape. The night before Sura’s arrival he drugs Doctore, so he will not have to fight him during his escape. Spartacus’ plans are thwarted when Sura’s caravan arrives, and she is found bloodied and dying in the back, as the caravan was attacked on the road. Sura dies in Spartacus’ arms.  
 
Spartacus’ next fight in the arena is a historical representation of a Roman’s conquest over the Thracians. Spartacus is to play the roman and execute criminals that are dressed as Thracians. Though Spartacus originally refuses to take part, but Batiatus informs him that if he wants to keep his title, he need to become a true gladiator and put his past behind him. Spartacus battles the six criminals, in the arena killing them all, only hesitating on the final man for a short moment. Spartacus has fully embraced the life of a gladiator.  

When the ludus aquires six new recruits, Ilithyia, the wife of Cladius Glaber finances one of the potential gladiators with her own coin. She makes the recruit promises of freedom, if he will only kill Spartacus. The man attempts to murder Spartacus, but is caught in this betrayal and is castrated and crucified as punishment. Soon after the attempt on Spartacus’ life, Licinia a noble woman, requests a “masked encounter” with Spartacus. Lucretia, Batiatus’ wife, agrees to this arrangement. Later, she decides to make a switch when Ilithyia requests an encounter with Crixus, whom Lucretia is intimate with. Knowing of Ilithyia’s distaste for Spartacus she arranges for the two to unknowingly have sex with one another. Lucretia arrives with Licinia, in time to humiliate Ilithyia and to cause the enraged Spartacus to attack Ilithyia. Spartacus quickly removed by ludus guards.  

At an exhibition of a gladiatorial fight, for the birthday of Numerius, Spartacus is forced to battle Varro, his dearest friend in the ludus. Unknown to those of the Ludus, Ilithyia seduced the young Numerius, in order to have an outcome more befitting her revenge against Spartacus for humiliating her husband, as well as herself. After defeating Varro in the exhibition, in an unforeseen twist, Spartacus is forced to kill Varro. As Spartacus refuses to put an end to Varro’s life, Varro pushes Spartacus’ sword into himself, allowing Spartacus to plunge the weapon further in to stop the suffering, killing his friend.  
 

Spartacus now plans for revenge against the ludus drawing in allies to his cause, which is not difficult due to the influx of roman guards and mistreatment of the gladiators. In a celebration for Glaber, Spartacus is meant to fight Crixus to the death, and Spartacus urges Crixus to join him against Batiatus. Crixus initially denies, but during the battle with Spartacus he realises Batiatus has betrayed him by poisoning his food and joins with Spartacus in the revolt. Using Crixus’ shield, Spartacus lunges towards to balcony where the patrons are watching, and runs his sword through the head of Sextus. Before Spartacus is able to kill Batiatus, Doctore stops him.  
 
All of the gladiators in the ludus are now involved in the revolt, slaughtering everyone inside the ludus, and the villa. Spartacus is faced with Batiatus once again, this time taunting him before slashing his throat. Spartacus leads the slaves and gladistors from the ludus, declaring that they are all free to leave, or to join him on his new quest to free all the slaves in Rome.  
 

Physical Appearance

At the beginning of the series Spartacus is seen to have long wavy brown hair. His long hair is soon shaved once he is taken into slavery. He has blue eyes, a strong jaw and usually has scruffy facial hair. Spartacus has a very lean, muscular build which is to his advantage when battling in the arena. Spartacus also has many scars and wounds on his body, which is to be expected from his battles. While Spartacus sometimes wears his personal gladiatorial armour, a silver-tone metal set with two golden cobras, he is most often seen wearing a loincloth, which is common among gladiators.   
 
Andy Whitfield portrayed Spartacus in the first season of Spartacus: Blood and Sand which aired in 2010 on Starz. Liam McIntyre has taken on the role of Spartacus for the second season.

Battles

Spartacus vs. Four Gladiators of Marcus Decius Solonius (Arena, His Execution) - Win 
Spartacus vs. Crixus (Sparring) - Defeated  
Spartacus vs. Kerza (Sparring) - Win 
Spartacus vs. Crixus (Test) - Win 
Spartacus vs. Kerza / Varro (Practice) - Win 
Spartacus vs. Crixus (Brawl) - Draw 
Spartacus vs. Crixus (Arena, Primus) - Defeated/ Surrendered  
Spartacus vs. Myrmex (The Pit) - Win 
Spartacus vs. Unknown (The Pit) - Win 
Spartacus vs. Mytilus (The Pit) - Win 
Spartacus vs. Ixion (The Pit) - Win 
Spartacus vs. Doctore (Practice) - Draw 
Spartacus vs. Crixus (Brawl) - Draw 
Spartacus & Crixus vs. Doctore (Practice) - No Victor 
Spartacus & Crixus vs. Thiokol’s (Arena, battle) - Win 
Spartacus vs. Gnaeus (Brawl) - Win  
Spartacus vs. 6 Criminals (Arena, Battle) - Win 
Spartacus vs. 9 Opponents (Arena, Battles) - Win 
Spartacus vs. Crixus (Practice) - Win 
Spartacus & Crixus vs. Segovia (Assassination Attempt) - Win 
Spartacus vs. Varro (Practice) - Draw 
Spartacus & Varro vs. Gladiators (Arena, Battle) - Win 
Spartacus vs. Varro (Practice) - Draw 
Spartacus vs. Varro (Exhibition Battle) - Win 
Spartacus vs. Agron (Practice) - Win  
Spartacus vs. Aulus (Brawl) - Win 
Spartacus vs. Crixus (Battle to the Death) - No Victor 
Spartacus, Gladiators & Slaves of Ludus vs. Romans & Batiatus (Revolt) - Win