The legacy of spartacus is that myth, which as generated since the late eighteenth century. When ronald regan came to talk to parliament in 19 82, he also used spartacus as an image. The only thing karl marx and ronald Regan have in common was they both love sparticus. Next week we will be tackling our talking about the christian doctrine of the trinity. There are many more radio four arts and discussion programs to down load for free. Find these on the web site at b b c dot co dot u k.
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the life of Spartacus, the gladiator who led a major slave rebellion against the Roman Republic in the 1st century BC. He was an accomplished military leader, and the campaign he led contributed significantly to the instability of the Roman state in this period. Spartacus was celebrated by some ancient historians and reviled by others, and became a hero to revolutionaries in 19th-century Europe. Modern perceptions of his character have been influenced by Stanley Kubrick's 1960 film - but ancient sources give a rather more complex picture of Spartacus and the aims of his rebellion.
With:
Mary Beard
Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge
Maria Wyke
Professor of Latin at University College, London
Theresa Urbainczyk
Associate Professor of Classics at University College, Dublin.
Producer: Victoria Brignell.