Is 'Spartacus' true story? Details about this 1960 Oscar-winning historical film

Spartacus is a 1960 American epic historical drama film directed by Stanley Kubrick, written by Dalton Trumbo, and based on the 1951 novel of the same title by Howard Fast. Spartacus plot revolves around the life story of Spartacus, the leader of a slave revolt in antiquity, and the events of the Third Servile War. Here is everything you need to know about the Academy Award-winning movie and if it was based on a true story or not.

Is Spartacus a true story?

According to a report by History Hit, the 1960 Oscar-winning film was based on a slave who headed a revolt against the Romans in the 1st century BC. Although a lot of evidence for Sparcatus's existence is anecdotal, there are some coherent themes that emerge. The story sheds light on Rome in the 1st Century BC, when the economy was reliant on slave labour, and its corrupt political structure. The lead character in the historical film, Sparcatus hailed from Thrace, which is modern-day Bulgaria. 

Historians call Sparcatus a significant enemy of Rome who leads a major revolt. He returned to the popular consciousness of Europe during the 1791 slave rebellion in Haiti and his story had clear ties and relevance to the anti-slavery movement. He was enslaved like many others during that era and was later sold as a gladiator to be trained at the school in Capua. A few years later, he escaped the barracks with seventy other people with a few weapons. With around 3,000 Romans in pursuit, the escapees headed for Mount Vesuvius, where heavy forest provided cover.

Spartacus leads his group of people and attacked the Romans, camping at the bottom of the mountains where they hid and picked up their military equipment as well. The revolt started by him lasted for two years and he won at least nine major victories against the Romans. Spartacus was eventually defeated by a much larger army under the leadership of Crassus. It is said that Spartacus killed his own horse to be on the same level as the rest of his soldiers and in order to defeat Crassus one-to-one, he was eventually surrounded and killed by Roman soldiers.

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