Spartacus was an auxiliary from the Roman legions later condemned to slavery.He was sold to a gladiatorial school (ludus) near Capua, belonging to Lentulus Batiatus.

In 73 BC, Spartacus was among a group of gladiators plotting an escape. They were betrayed but about 70 men seized kitchen implements, fought their way out, and seized wagons of gladiatorial weapons and armor. The escapees defeated a small force sent after them, and took their weapons too. Once free, the escaped gladiators chose Spartacus and two Gallic slaves — Crixus and Oenomaus — as their leaders.

The response of the Roman authorities was hampered by the absence of their legions, which were already engaged in fighting elsewhere. Militia were sent to besiege the slaves, hoping that starvation would force them to surrender. They were surprised when Spartacus had ropes made from vines, climbed down the volcano with his men, and attacked the Romans' camp in the rear, killing most of them. The slaves also defeated a second expedition, nearly capturing its commander, killing his lieutenants and seizing more equipment. With these successes, slaves and pesants flocked to Spartacus, swelling his ranks to some 70,000 men.

Alarmed, the Senate charged Marcus Licinius Crassus, the wealthiest man in Rome, with ending the rebellion. Crassus was given eight legions, 40,000–50,000 Roman soldiers, which he treated with brutal discipline. When Spartacus and his followers moved north again in early 71 BC, Crassus deployed six legions and detached his legate Mummius with two legions to maneuver behind Spartacus. Though ordered not to engage, Mummius attacked at a seemingly opportune moment but was routed. But after this, Crassus' legions were victorious in several engagements, forcing Spartacus to turn south. By the end of 71 BC, Spartacus was encamped in Rhegium (Reggio Calabria), near the Strait of Messina.

Spartacus made a bargain with Cilician pirates to transport him and some 2,000 of his men to Sicily, where he intended to incite a slave revolt and gather reinforcements. However, he was betrayed by the pirates, who took payment and abandoned the rebels. Spartacus' forces then retreated towards Rhegium. Crassus' legions followed and upon arrival built fortifications across the isthmus at Rhegium; The rebels were under siege and cut off from their supplies.

Spartacus unsuccessfully tried to reach an agreement with Crassus, and when Crassus refused, a portion of Spartacus' forces fled toward the mountains west of Petelia, with Crassus' legions in pursuit. Discipline among Spartacus's forces broke down as small groups independently attacked the oncoming legions. Spartacus now turned his forces around and brought his entire strength to bear on the legions in a last stand, in which the slaves were routed completely, with the vast majority of them being killed in battle. The eventual fate of Spartacus himself is unknown, as his body was never found, but he is thought to have perished in battle. 6,000 survivors of the revolt were crucified, lining the Appian Way from Rome to Capua.