The popular image of Spartacus seems like a real-life version of David and Goliath. In the first century BC, a slave named Spartacus threatened the power of Rome. Under his leadership, a tiny band of gladiators grew into a vast revolutionary army. About 100,000 men followed him, keeping faith until the last; only the full force of the Roman army could crush the revolt. Its memory lives on, a symbol of the power of free people to confront tyranny. The real story of Spartacus is far more complex than this familiar, heroic image: a story of a real and fallible person in a culture very different from our own. It remains an inspiring story for us all. Subjects: Latin, Ancient History Dewey: 937 SPA.