73 BC

Events in 73 BC 1

• 73 BC – 71 BC Spartacus — the slave revolt Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator, leads the largest slave revolt in Roman history from 73 to 71 BC. Starting with 70 gladiators who break out of a school in Capua, the revolt grows to an army of perhaps 120,000. For two years Spartacus defeats Roman forces repeatedly, twice breaking out of encirclement in southern Italy. Crassus finally defeats him; 6,000 captured rebels are crucified along the Appian Way from Capua to Rome — one every 35 metres.