You saw the film, now read the book

THE SPARTACUS WAR. By Barry Strauss. Simon & Schuster. 288 pages. $26.95.

When you mention Spartacus to most people, they immediately think of the Kirk Douglas movie of that name. Unlike most Hollywood movies, that one isn't that far off the mark, but still far enough so that this most interesting and readable book by Barry Strauss, author of the recent, and outstanding, "The Trojan War," would be a highly recommended read.

The slave revolt led by this gladiator-slave in 73 B.C. was a pivotal point in the ongoing downfall of the Roman republican form of government, with a supposedly grab-bag crew of motley slaves defeating several Roman armies in battle and coming a surprisingly hair's breadth from escaping. There are very few extensive sources on the event, as the Romans were not very keen on recording their mostly deplorable performances for the three years of the revolt.

What we do know of Spartacus was that he was a Thracian soldier who fought for Rome before somehow falling into the slavery that got him shipped to Capua to train for the gladiatorial contests. He was, apparently, an adept leader who knew a great deal about commanding a force of men ill-suited to the task they had before them: defeating disciplined, better-armed Roman legions and ultimately, escaping to their freedom.

How they did this for such a long period is what Strauss discusses in detail, some of it based on educated guess, but all of it flows like a novel. We get good insight into the problems confronting Spartacus, even when he mostly outnumbered the armies he faced, as well as the failures of these half-dozen and more consular armies sent against him.

The big question in all of this is, having defeated most of what Rome sent against them, why did the slaves, seemingly free in the provinces north of Rome, not just head for the Alps, cross into Gaul and the Danubian areas, and "go home"? No one knows why they opted to turn around, head south again and ultimately be defeated and destroyed by Marcus Licinius Crassus, later a cohort of the young Julius Caesar.

Unlike the film, though, we do learn that Spartacus died in battle, not on the cross.

Aside from being an important piece of history, the Spartacus revolt is a fascinating and engrossing story, which Strauss relates with great style and energy. "The Spartacus War" is highly recommended for anyone interested in history or who just wants a good, fast-paced, novel-like read.