Crixus, The Right-Hand Man Of Spartacus
Public DomainA gladiator mosaic in Rome’s Villa Borghese.
Though Spartacus is remembered for his role in the Gladiators’ War, he didn’t organize the rebellion on his own. His right-hand man was a fellow gladiator named Crixus.
Crixus, who had been a murmillo gladiator like Marcus Attilius, escaped from gladiator school alongside Spartacus in 73 C.E. According to the Greek historian Appian, Crixus then became one of the two main generals in Spartacus’ army.
With Crixus at his side, Spartacus and his band of “revolted gladiators and slaves” were able to defeat two Roman armies. But during a battle near Mount Garganus, Crixus met a formidable opponent in the form of Roman consul Lucius Gellius.
Public DomainBefore his own demise, Spartacus — depicted above — avenged Crixus’ death by sacrificing 300 Roman captives.
“Crixus himself was slain,” Appian stated, “and two-thirds of his army, which consisted of 30,000 men, were destroyed on the field of battle.”
Spartacus, outraged by the loss of his fellow gladiator, decided that the Romans had to be punished. Appian writes that he sacrificed 300 Roman captives in Crixus’ honor.
Shortly thereafter, however, Spartacus met his own end.
