FAQ

American novelist Howard Fast (1914-2003) wrote the 1951 historical novel Spartacus on which the movie is based.

Lentulus Batiatus (Peter Ustinov) had a gladiator school at Capua. Marcus Publius Glabrus (John Dall) is vaguely based on a Roman praetor named Gaius Claudius Glaber who failed in his fight against Spartacus in the Third Servile War. Crixus (John Ireland) (d. 72 BC) was a leader of the slave rebellion, along with Spartacus. Although they do not appear as characters, Pompey aka Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (106 BC - 48 BC) and Lucius Licinius Lucullus (118 BC - 56 BC) are mentioned and both existed. There is a character referred to as Gracchus, depicted as being part of the Senate and opposed to Crassus. The most significant Gracchi were Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus and Gaius Sempronius Gracchus who were both revolutionary political figures active from 163 BC to 121 BC. The Gracchus in the film acts as an amalgam of the two historical figures and their populist political stance, as well as their tendency to break with tradition in favor of expediency. Also mentioned as paticipating in the flanking attack by Pompey is Metellus, though which if the many Quintus Caecilius Metellus is intended is left unsaid.