However, what Plutarch, Florus, and only a half a handful of other relatively reliable classical sources agree on is that Spartacus somehow left Thrace and became part of the Roman army. His exact beginnings are up for debate: Plutarch states that he was of a nomadic tribe, while writer Florus claims he was a mercenary. Spartacus' story begins in Thrace, a region to the north of Greece, the west of Italy, and to the south of the Celtic tribes. Spartacus began the great slave rebellion in 73 B.C ( Source ) Who Was Spartacus? Who was Spartacus really? In truth, because of the discrepancies and biases of classical authors, this can never be fully known. What is known is his impact on the future of the Roman government, a picture painted not from the noble intentions the media would like him to be remembered for, but rather from the mere act of rebelling itself.
But one should always be careful of the ways in which TV portrays the past. To this day, books, movies, and TV shows have been created to highlight the strength of this rebel slave and the power of a good, common cause. Thracian born Roman gladiator, Spartacus is now considered the stuff of legend.
