Spartacus is an American television series that premiered on Starz in 2010. The show is a historical drama, depicting the story of the historical figure of Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. The show has several seasons, and in this article, you can find out about the Spartacus series in order of their release date.
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Spartacus series order at a glance
Spartacus series in order: Fully explained
4. Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (Jan 21, 2011)
Do you need to watch Spartacus seasons in order?
Spartacus series order at a glance
The Spartacus series was created by Steven S. DeKnight, and it consists of three seasons, in the following order:
- Spartacus: Blood and Sand (Jan 22, 2010)
- Spartacus: Vengeance (Jan 25, 2012)
- Spartacus: War of the Damned (Jan 25, 2013)
There is also a prequel to the series called Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (Jan 21, 2011). This show doesn’t follow the same continuity as the main series. It was originally planned as a six-part mini-series before the show was renewed for a full season.
Spartacus series in order: Fully explained
1. Spartacus: Blood and Sand (Jan 22, 2010)
Spartacus: Blood and Sand follow the story of Spartacus, a Thracian warrior who is captured and sold into slavery as a gladiator. The season begins with Spartacus being captured by the Romans and sold as a slave to a Ludus (a gladiator training school) run by Quintus Lentulus Batiatus. There, he is trained to fight as a gladiator by a slave named Doctore.
As Spartacus trains and fights in the arena, he forms alliances with other gladiators and makes enemies among the Roman elite, including Batiatus and his wife, Lucretia. Along the way, Spartacus also develops a relationship with a slave named Varinia, who becomes a driving force for his desire for freedom.
The season also explores the politics of the Roman Republic and the society of the time, showing the decadence and corruption of the ruling elite, as well as the brutal treatment of slaves. Throughout the season, Spartacus and his allies plan a rebellion against the Romans, but their plans are constantly thwarted by the machinations of the powerful Romans.
The season is characterized by its graphic violence and sexual content. As well as the political intrigue, power struggles, and personal relationships that develop among the characters. The season ends with a cliffhanger that sets the stage for the following seasons.
2. Spartacus: Vengeance (Jan 25, 2012)
The season picks up where the first season left off ( because the second season, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, is a prequel), with Spartacus and his army of slaves having defeated the Roman troops in the Ludus (gladiator training school). Spartacus and his followers are now on the run and must find a way to survive and continue their rebellion against the Roman Republic.
Throughout the season, we see Spartacus and his group of gladiators, living and fighting as warriors in order to survive, as they gain strength and numbers, establishing a new base for their rebellion. They encounter new allies and enemies, with the Roman Senator Gaius Claudius Glaber, who is responsible for the death of Spartacus’ wife, being one of the main antagonists of the season, and his pursuit of Spartacus driving much of the season’s action.
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Meanwhile, in Rome, we see the growing political power of Julius Caesar, who manipulates the political landscape to his advantage. We also see the introduction of several key characters such as Ilithyia, wife of Glaber and a politician in her own right, whose relationship with Spartacus was extremely complicated, and Gannicus, a skilled gladiator and rebel leader who becomes a close ally of Spartacus.
As the season comes to a close, Spartacus and his followers make a daring assault on the city of Rome, leading to an epic battle that would define the fate of the rebellion. The season ends with a cliffhanger, leaving the audience to wonder what will happen to Spartacus and his followers.
3. Spartacus: War of the Damned (Jan 25, 2013)
Spartacus: War of the Damned is the third and final season of the series. The season picks up where Spartacus: Vengeance left off, with Spartacus and his army of slaves had made a daring assault on the city of Rome, and continuing their rebellion against the Roman Republic.
Throughout the season, we see Spartacus and his group of gladiators continuing to gain strength and numbers and establish themselves as a formidable force against the Roman army. They encounter new allies and enemies, with the Roman General Marcus Crassus emerging as the main antagonist of the season, as he is tasked with putting down the slave rebellion and restoring order to Rome.
As the season progresses, we see the rebellion growing stronger and more confident in their abilities, with Spartacus and his followers becoming more strategic and effective in their attacks against the Romans. This leads to several intense and bloody battles, as the rebellion fights to overthrow the Roman Republic.
Meanwhile, in Rome, we see the political power struggle between Crassus and Julius Caesar, as they vie for control of the Republic and its army. This also causes tension among the Roman Senate and the Plebeian class, further complicating the situation for Spartacus and his rebellion.
As the season reaches its climax, the rebellion faces its toughest challenges yet, leading to an epic final battle between the rebel army and the Roman army, that would ultimately decide the fate of the rebellion. The season ends with a poignant and emotional finale, providing closure to the story of Spartacus and his rebellion.
4. Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (Jan 21, 2011)
This season serves as a prequel to the first season. It takes place before the arrival of Spartacus at the Ludus of Batiatus and focuses on the early years of the gladiator school and the rise of a gladiator named Gannicus.
The season starts with Batiatus purchasing the Ludus, and his ambition to gain the favor of the wealthy and powerful citizens of Capua by hosting gladiatorial games of his own. To achieve this, he needs to train and promote the gladiators to be the best they can be. He also faces competition from his rival, Tullius, and struggles to gain the favor of his father, who controls the purse strings of his business.
Gannicus, a gladiator from a different Ludus, is brought in to help with the training and to fight in the games. He proves to be a formidable fighter and soon becomes the champion of the games, but his fame and success attract the envy and jealousy of the other gladiators, especially Crixus and Barca. Meanwhile, Lucretia, the wife of Batiatus, is also struggling to gain the favor of the powerful women of Capua.
As the season progresses, the characters face personal struggles and make difficult choices in order to achieve their goals, as well as navigate the politics and power struggles that take place within the Ludus and the Roman elite. The season also explores the relationships between the gladiators, the Roman elite, and the slave masters.
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As you can see this season gives a lot of background information about the characters and the events that will happen later, it’s important to note that the season does not follow the same continuity as the main series, but it does serve to deepen our understanding of the characters and the world they live in.
All of the seasons are action-packed and filled with drama, as well as lots of fighting and battle scenes, representing ancient times and culture, with a focus on the rebellion led by Spartacus and the power struggles of the Roman elite.
Do you need to watch Spartacus seasons in order?
It is generally recommended to watch the Spartacus series in order, as the seasons build on one another and each one contributes to the overall story arc.
The first season, Spartacus: Blood and Sand, set the stage for the series, introducing the main characters and establishing the main conflict of the story. The second and third seasons, Spartacus: Vengeance and Spartacus: War of the Damned, respectively, continue the story established in the first season and build on the events of the prequel season. You can also watch Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, as it serves as a prequel, filling in background information and exploring the history of the Ludus and the characters. However, as this show is a prequel, you can watch it before season one if you want.
Watching the seasons in order will give you a better understanding of the characters, their motivations, and the events that lead to the climax of the series. Additionally, the series explores themes and motifs that are built throughout the series. By watching them in order, you’ll be able to understand the context of these themes and motifs the best.
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Josip Sovar
Josip Sovar
(Video) A Bloody Farewell | Spartacus Season 3 ExtrasJosip is a law student who is a big fan of the Marvel and DC Universe. He loves anything related to superheroes, and in his free time, he enjoys spending time with his dog and conversing about complex topics over a pitcher of beer.
FAQs
How many seasons of Spartacus are there? ›
A total of 33 episodes of Spartacus were broadcast over three seasons. A six-part prequel miniseries entitled Spartacus: Gods of the Arena was also broadcast between Seasons 1 and 2 (in 2011).
What is the order of the seasons of Spartacus? ›Season One is titled Spartacus: Blood and Sand; Season Two is titled Spartacus: Vengeance and introduces Liam McIntyre as Spartacus. Season Three brings the series to an end, and is titled Spartacus: War of the Damned.
Will there be a season 5 of Spartacus? ›On June 4, 2012, Starz announced that the 4th season of Spartacus (War of the Damned) will be the final one for the series.
What is the last season of Spartacus? ›Spartacus: War of the Damned is the third and final season of the American television series Spartacus, a Starz television series, which follows Spartacus: Vengeance.
Is Spartacus season 4 coming out? ›TVLine Items: Spartacus' Final Season Premiere Date, Thrones Adds Coldplay Rocker and More! Spartacus' fourth and final season has pinned down a premiere date. Starz announced on Tuesday that the drama's last chapter, titled Spartacus: War of the Damned, will bow Friday, Jan. 25 at 9/8c.
Why is Spartacus no longer on Netflix? ›January 2020 is set to see some huge titles leave Netflix including Friends, Maron and Frasier. Among the other high profile shows that are now due to depart includes the entire Spartacus series from Starz. The action biographical series that first started on Starz back in 2010 was pretty groundbreaking at the time.
Did Spartacus have an ending? ›The series comes to an end in an epic battle of troops and a personal mano-a-mano bloody, bloody sword fight between Spartacus and Crassus. Although 6,000 rebel slaves were crucified in real life, it is believed that Spartacus fell in battle — although he was crucified in the movie.
What age group is Spartacus for? ›It is probably for 16-17 years and up. It is equivalent to TV MA or NC-17.
Can a 13 year old watch Spartacus? ›Parents need to know that this extremely violent swords-and-sandals series isn't appropriate for kids. There's frequent nudity (including full-frontal male and female), explicit sex scenes, uncensored swearing, and lots of graphic violence.
Will there be a Spartacus spin off? ›More Stories By Rosy. Spartacus creator Steven S. DeKnight is expanding the franchise once again with a new series currently in development at Starz. DeKnight will serve as showrunner and executive producer of the as-yet-untitled project.
Why there is no season 5 of Spartacus? ›
We've always had an ending — it's written in history — so we knew where we were shooting for. My original thought was that this show could go five to seven seasons, but we realized the actual history is very scattershot: The rebels went north, south, east, west, then back north, then broke apart, came back together.
Why did Spartacus end like that? ›We certainly could have continued for a few more seasons and stretched it out, but we really wanted to end high and not feel like we were treading water — and really just condense the rest of the history into one amazing ten-episode, badass final season.”
Who does Spartacus end up with? ›Eventually, Sura came to his bed and the two fell in love shortly after, becoming husband and wife some time before the events of the series.
How old was Spartacus when he died? › Was there a real Spartacus? ›Spartacus was a Roman slave and gladiator who led a revolt against Rome, which turned into the Third Servile War (73 B.C.E. to 71 B.C.E.).
Did Rome fall to Spartacus? ›Spartacus waged a brilliant guerrilla campaign against a strong and well-organized enemy, but he could not prevail against a fully mobilized Rome. Although Crassus would ultimately defeat the Spartacus rebellion, Pompey would claim credit for the act, fueling his own rise to the apex of Roman politics.
Who is the wife of Spartacus? ›Sura was Spartacus' Thracian wife, who was tragically taken from him by his most hated enemy, Gaius Claudius Glaber. However, her memory was kept alive and honored by her husband, who actually used it as his inspiration.
Where can I watch season 4 of Spartacus? ›Watch Spartacus Season 4: Stream Full Episodes on STARZ.
Who won Spartacus or Rome? ›Spartacus was a Thracian gladiator who led a slave revolt with an army numbering in the tens of thousands. He defeated Roman forces over half a dozen times, marching his people up and down the Italian peninsula until he was killed in battle in April 71 B.C.
Who is the best Spartacus? ›- Agron/Donar/Caburus/Barca/Auctus/Varro - I might consider removing Varro from this spot. ...
- Gnaeus/Saxa/Lugo/Nemetes/Nasir/Ashur's Group(exluding Ashur)
- Ashur/Caesar/Glaber.
- Naevia - Her fight against Ashur is a little ridiculous. ...
- A typical gladiator.
- Mira/A Roman soldier.
What happened to the original Spartacus on Starz? ›
Andy Whitfield, who starred in the television series “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” died on Sunday in Sydney, Australia. He was 39. The cause was non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, his wife, Vashti, said in a statement. Mr.
Who was the original Spartacus? ›...
Spartacus (film)
| Spartacus | |
|---|---|
| Starring | Kirk Douglas Laurence Olivier Jean Simmons Charles Laughton Peter Ustinov John Gavin Tony Curtis |
| Cinematography | Russell Metty |
But the underlying political conflicts had not been resolved, and on the Ides of March (15 March) 44 BC, Caesar was assassinated by a group of senators led by Marcus Junius Brutus, a supposed close friend.
What city did Spartacus take over? ›The Siege of Sinuessa was a major event during the Third Servile War, where Spartacus and his rebels overtook the city. The siege lasted for an unknown set of time, and was eventually ended when the Romans, led by Crassus, retook the city.
Does Spartacus have a child with ilithyia? ›Character Outline. Ilithyia's son is the illicit child between Spartacus and Ilithyia conceived the night of a secret masked liaison organized by Lucretia. Spartacus believed Ilithyia was Licinia, while Ilithyia believed Spartacus was Crixus.
Does Spartacus have a child? ›There is no historical record of Spartacus having any children.
What is Spartacus real name in the series? ›| Actor | Character | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Vengeance | ||
| Andy Whitfield | Spartacus | |
| Liam McIntyre | Main | |
| Manu Bennett | Crixus | Main |
R. Gladiator is rated R, and with good reason. While there's no sex or foul language, the film is a virtual bloodbath. Sure, there are only a handful of fight scenes, but they're insanely brutal.
Is Spartacus a religious movie? ›From the very beginning of the film there are massive religious overtones. The announcer at the beginning states, clearly that Christianity is the destined religion and is meant to end slavery and overthrow Rome.
Is Spartacus good for children to watch? ›Many people know about Spartacus, the story line is okay, but the blood sheild is not good because it set a violent mind in them, and also some scene in the movie is bad for under age.
Who was emperor when Spartacus was alive? ›
Answer and Explanation: The Spartacus Revolt took place between 73 and 71 BCE, when Rome was still a Republic. Therefore, there was no emperor during the Spartacus Revolt, as Rome was not yet an empire.
Who killed Spartacus wife in the series? ›Aulus is Batiatus' 'handyman', doing whatever errand or dirty work he requests. Batiatus had him personally kill Sura, the wife of Spartacus, which led to his death and incited the rebellion when Spartacus discovered the deed.
Who is the main villain in Spartacus? ›Marcus Licinius Crassus is the main antagonist of Spartacus: War of the Damned.
Did Spartacus marry? ›Roman slaves often had wives, and children too, although such marriages were not valid in Roman law. Spartacus's wife was religious, vocal, and hardy enough to endure the life of an escaped slave battling the Roman army. As a Thracian woman she probably had tattooed arms.
Why did Spartacus get Cancelled? ›We certainly could have continued for a few more seasons and stretched it out, but we really wanted to end high and not feel like we were treading water — and really just condense the rest of the history into one amazing ten-episode, badass final season.”
Did Spartacus end well? ›Those hopes were dashed when Spartacus, on the verge of killing Marcus Crassus, was speared by a solider from behind. After being carried off by Agron, he died peacefully as a contingent of former slaves he worked to free and protect indeed made it to safety.
Why did Spartacus leave the show? ›Australian actor Andy Whitfield, who played the lead title character on the TV drama “Spartacus: Blood and Sand,” will not return to the series' second season because of a cancer recurrence that will require treatment, the Starz network announced.
Did Spartacus really exist? ›Also, while Spartacus was a real person who has inspired revolutionaries and filmmakers, scholars do not have an abundant amount of information about him. Accounts from only about a dozen ancient writers survive to this day, and none of the surviving reports was written by Spartacus or one of his supporters.
Who destroyed Spartacus? ›It took place on mainland Italy and Spartacus from 73-71 BCE and his followers caused havoc throughout the peninsula until they were destroyed by Marcus Licinius Crassus (Dives), the richest man in Rome at the time; this is the same Crassus who was killed along with most of his army at Carrhae.
Who wins at the end of Spartacus? ›Spartacus is taken away by some of his men, but the Romans win the day. Gannicus is nailed to the cross along with other captured rebels. Gannicus imagines that he is back in the arena, enjoying yet another victory. He dies a gladiator's death.
Did Spartacus have a child? ›
There is no historical record of Spartacus having any children.
How many years did Spartacus fight the Romans? ›The courage, tenacity, and ability of the Thracian gladiator who held Roman forces at bay for some two years and built a handful of followers into an assemblage of over 120,000 men can only inspire admiration (Historical Background, 3).
Who replaces Spartacus? ›“Spartacus: Vengeance,” suffered from severe asthma when he was a kid. in a pool-side room at a hotel here.
What happened to the original Spartacus guy? ›Whitfield died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on 11 September 2011, 18 months after his initial cancer diagnosis.
What happened to Spartacus wife in the show? ›She is sent to the heir of the Pelorus estate (Batiatus). However, Batiatus believes (correctly) that Spartacus might try to escape from the ludus once he and Sura are reunited, and has her mortally wounded by his servant, Aulus, on the road, so that she dies in Spartacus' arms when she arrives.