Spartacus
... There were many slave uprisings in the history of Rome, but the most formidable was that headed by Spartacus in 73 BC. It is unknown when Spartacus was born, but he was born in Thrace and was Thracian of one of the nomad tribes. ... Seventy-eight, including Spartacus, seized the knives in the cooks shop and a wagon full of weapons, and made their way through the city. ... Then they took the better, military weapons They camped out at Mount Vesuvius, where they chose three captains, of whom Spartacus was chief. ... Here they were joined by other rural slaves and farmers, overrunning the region with much plunder and pillage, although, apparently Spartacus tried to restrain them. ... As it turned out, the slippery surface didnt matter to Spartacus because upon the top, however, grew many wild vines. ... Cossinius and Spartacus missed but very little of capturing in person. As he was bathing at Salinae; for he with great difficulty made his escape, Spartacus possessed himself of his baggage, and following the chase with a great slaughter, stormed his camp and took it, where Cossinius himself was slain. ... They would give no obedience to him, and the Gauls and Germans, led by Crixus, separated from Spartacus, and went about and ravaged Italy. ... In 72 BC, Spartacus had raised about 70,000 slaves, mostly from rural areas. ... The consul Gellius, fell suddenly upon the party of Germans and Guals who had straggled from Spartacus, and cut them all to pieces, including Crixus. But when Lentulus and his large army besieged Spartacus, he sallied out upon him, and joined the battle, defeating his chief officers, and captured all his baggage. Spartacus defeated Lentulus, and then Publicola. To avenge Crixus, Spartacus had 300 prisoners from these battles fight in pairs to the death. At Picenum in central Italy, Spartacus defeated the consular armies. ... The Alps were now open to the rebels, but again the Gauls and Germans refused to go, so Spartacus returned to southern Italy, perhaps intending to ship to Sicily. In the autumn, when the revolt was at its height and Spartacus had about 120,000 followers, the Senate voted to pass over the consuls and grant Marcus Licinius Crassus general of the war. ... He stayed on the borders of Picenum, expecting Spartacus would come that way, and sent his lieutenant, Mummius, with two legions, to wheel about and observe the enemys motions, but upon no account to engage in battle. ... ” When he reclaimed his men, he led them against the enemy, but Spartacus retreated through Lucania toward the sea, and in the straits meeting with some Sicilian pirate ships, he had thoughts of attempting Sicily. ... All which Spartacus at first slighted and despised, but when provisions began to fail, he proposed to pass further to find he was walled in. ... When Spartacus finally fought his way out of the toe of Italy, he could not march to Brundisium and take ship to the east because of the presence of Lucullus.