Spartacus, written in 1951 by Howard Fast, is the story of a gladiator, named Spartacus. Spartacus is a slave who is bought by a lanista, a person who owns, sells, and fights gladiators, whose name is Batiatus. Batiatus trains Spartacus to be a gladiator at a gladitorial school in Capua. Because Spartacus is brave, loves life, and has leadership he breaks out of the school and leads a four-year long slave revolt against Rome.
Spartacus is brave. This trait is important as he is leading a revolt against what is then the most powerful nation in the world. Spartacus shows his incredible bravery when "Spartacus rose to his feet"(152) and "the trainers lashed out their whips and knives"(152). He opposses despite the fact that he knows the trainers could whip or kill him. When Spartacus sees the soldiers of Capua coming to fight the gladiators he does not run but instead tells his men that ""We will fight like soldiers.""(160) Spartacus shows his courage when he tells his soldiers they are to ""go to war against Rome."" Spartacus's bravery is shown by the fact that he wants to destroy Rome. And after they destroy Rome, he wants to build a new nation with equality of all men and all women. Spartacus shows his bravery when he sends the only survivor of the army sends against him to the Senate to tell them about Spartacus, the slaves, and their ideals. He also tells the soldier to deliver a message to the !.
senate. Part of the message shows his bravery by openly contesting the Roman senate. "" All that is good in mankind belongs to us.What a foul crew you are and what a filthy mess you have made out of life"" (214-215). Even though he knows that his open defiance can and will cost him his life.
Another one of Spartacus's traits is his leadership. Spartacus shows his leadership when tells the gladiators they must revolt. When he stands up to talk, the trainers threaten him, "but the gladiators swarmed over them and killed them quickly"(152).