Georgy Golubev
History 111C, Prof. Spyridakis
May 20th, 2015
Trials of Power and Will : A Symbol of Hope for Mankind
Spartacus has had many accounts written on him from a myriad of different perspectives. His life has been embellished and tarnished, yet in the end it is undeniable that he became a symbol of courage and strength for all of mankind. He has a story of universal appeal and through a few texts we will see how the life of a relatively minor historical figure turns from a spiritually impoverished gladiator to a powerful symbol of freedom. Spartacus was born in the Roman city of Thrace and eventually sold into slavery. It is there that he joined and later deserted the ever powerful army of Rome. Little did he know that what …show more content…
Both of these texts were written in the period BC, and the society of the time was one where slavery was the norm and thus their view of looking down upon the slaves as lesser human beings and barbaric can be understood due to the context of society. The three texts all agree on Spartacus however, and they all portray him as a hero of his time. They all agree on his character and appearance with the historical accounts describing him as a man with immense bodily strength and spirit, and Fast’s portrayal of him through his other characters also echoes this. Thus one is able to conclude that the story of Spartacus is indeed a powerful story with contemporary significance, not only because of his revolt against Rome and his oppressors, but because he offered people in a state of disempowerment a chance to stand up to their oppressors. He offered the slaves hope and strength in a time when they had been too dehumanised to even imagine such things. This Rebellion had a lasting effect on civilization because it showed the will power of the commoners and of slaves that, if in all cooperation, could easily overthrow any government. This brought about many reforms to balance wealth and power. The trials and tribulations of Spartacus were immense and none the less his loyal followers stuck with him until the very end. The representations of Spartacus in journals and books were successful in their portrayal of Spartacus as an heroic figure as they do not completely martyr him, they show the reader that he was human, just like everyone else, and thus offers the universal appeal to all those who are disempowered now, to gather strength and believe that they can mobilize and stand up to the powers that be, not necessarily to overpower them, but just to show them that they refuse to be dominated and
History 111C, Prof. Spyridakis
May 20th, 2015
Trials of Power and Will : A Symbol of Hope for Mankind
Spartacus has had many accounts written on him from a myriad of different perspectives. His life has been embellished and tarnished, yet in the end it is undeniable that he became a symbol of courage and strength for all of mankind. He has a story of universal appeal and through a few texts we will see how the life of a relatively minor historical figure turns from a spiritually impoverished gladiator to a powerful symbol of freedom. Spartacus was born in the Roman city of Thrace and eventually sold into slavery. It is there that he joined and later deserted the ever powerful army of Rome. Little did he know that what …show more content…
Both of these texts were written in the period BC, and the society of the time was one where slavery was the norm and thus their view of looking down upon the slaves as lesser human beings and barbaric can be understood due to the context of society. The three texts all agree on Spartacus however, and they all portray him as a hero of his time. They all agree on his character and appearance with the historical accounts describing him as a man with immense bodily strength and spirit, and Fast’s portrayal of him through his other characters also echoes this. Thus one is able to conclude that the story of Spartacus is indeed a powerful story with contemporary significance, not only because of his revolt against Rome and his oppressors, but because he offered people in a state of disempowerment a chance to stand up to their oppressors. He offered the slaves hope and strength in a time when they had been too dehumanised to even imagine such things. This Rebellion had a lasting effect on civilization because it showed the will power of the commoners and of slaves that, if in all cooperation, could easily overthrow any government. This brought about many reforms to balance wealth and power. The trials and tribulations of Spartacus were immense and none the less his loyal followers stuck with him until the very end. The representations of Spartacus in journals and books were successful in their portrayal of Spartacus as an heroic figure as they do not completely martyr him, they show the reader that he was human, just like everyone else, and thus offers the universal appeal to all those who are disempowered now, to gather strength and believe that they can mobilize and stand up to the powers that be, not necessarily to overpower them, but just to show them that they refuse to be dominated and