The sculpture and architecture was nothing that could compare to modern art. Seeing the detail created in the stone, such as faces and muscular textures in different suggest the hard work and patience was required to make them. The setting of the movie starts showing slaves breaking down a lot of stone. Enforcing them were soldiers with whips, which definitely indicates the time period was a long time ago, during the time of empires and slaves.

The clothing worn by the slaves was beat up, and torn apart, aside from the already torn up cloth it was meant to be. The torn cloth they used for clothing was sweated out and dusty, indicating that they were the slaves of the setting. The soldiers were all armored, in uniform with weapons. Not only did this physically show their positions in the movie but this backed up traits of their actions.

As an example, the soldiers physically a slave who appeared to be dead, from exhaustion. He was so exhausted he was unresponsive, but one slave noticed this unresponsive man with a pack of bricks on his back and tried to help. The soldiers, seeing this good act of the slaves began whipping both slaves. This shows the bad mentality of not only the soldiers but also the  empire who are obviously doing a job, that was being enforced by an emperor.

Spartacus and the people on his side were all dressed in different neat clothes, and wearing shoes on their feet. This aspect of the movie shows the difference between the citizens of Rome and the slaves of Rome. People wearing such costumes help to create the setting of ancient Rome. Spartacus shows independence, bravery, and integrity in the difficult situation with him being against such a big empire as Rome. The Roman army, big and brutal, gathered in one scene. The army was praising the death of the notorious slave Spartacus, who had a slave army of his own.

Spartacus’s slave army all lived peacefully but yet so depressed. During the movie a scene played where people were all just resting, exhausted. Many were still awake just making sure their loved ones were comfortable, but you can sense the mood with the fires and people cooking their meat on sticks. Slave agriculture was being displayed through all the people in poor
clothing just trying to escape Rome. In the movie Spartacus witnesses a little girl asking her mom, “When are we going home.” As her mother comforted her with a goodnight trying to get her to just sleep, indicating that they all just want to leave.

After being made a captured slave once again and brought back to Rome, the foundation of the environment very much indicates the culture. From the soldiers of Rome in a organized line formation overseeing the march of the slaves back into Rome. In the end Marcus, the Roman army general, took Spartacus’s wife into his home, trying to win her love.

I have seen Spartacus in all sorts of entertainment thought my life: as a child in my grandparent’s house, on episodes of Family Guy as a 1960s, and more recently in the Netflix/Stars series. Through all of these adaptations the message remains the same and creates a story that many can enjoy. But this film had many things it did well as well as many it portrayed poorly. With many other films about history, there is a danger that costumes, would end up becoming out- of -date and this was very apparent to me in that many of the actors looked like they belonged in the 1960s rather than in ancient Rome. The set pieces may have looked innovative and realistic at the time but have aged terribly, combining this with fake blood and overly choreographed deaths/fights made this movie a bit of an eyesore. At one point in one of the battle scenes, you can even see plane contrails in the sky. However, when it came to depictions and symbols they did very well in using Roman culture and societal norms in the film. The best of this can be seen in the Roman general’s armor. They used vibrant reds and depictions of lions and eagles built into their armor and banners. In contrast, they did the exact opposite for the slave army they depicted the clothing as simple and almost poor with leather armor and rag- like underwear. They also included many frescos on the walls including depictions of gardens with cloth and vases as expected in high-class houses. The architecture was often simplified but still showed aspects of arches as well as post and lintel constriction formed in smooth limestone or granite. The weapons of the time also matched well with what was used not only by soldiers but as well as gladiators. This was a good choice by the filmmakers to give the gladiators a look of authenticity especially in combination with their armor and clothing.

To truly enjoy this movie one cannot compare it to films of the times we are living in. Instead one must look to the theme and delivery of the message of the film. This film’s most interesting element is the political assumption that the enslaved will eventually rebel against the rich and that so much can be endured before there is nothing left to suffer in the hope of being truly free. In the end, Spartacus lost to the Romans and ultimately paid the price of rebellion with this life but his dreams would live on and some two thousand years later this would be achieved in the society of today with the abolishment of slavery seen throughout the world. The movie was able to shape our perception of the horrors seen by slaves of the time period as well as the beauty that was by unfortunately brought about because of the practices of the time. Art, architecture, and material culture was able to be created due to the use of slaves but nonetheless must be must be remembered that to achieve all of this the lives of many were forfeited for the needs of the few.

Spartacus was chosen by him and would be sent to the gladiator academy and trained in the arts of combat. Here the men would be treated no better than before although now they got the chance to bathe,eat, and sometimes have the company of a woman. You can tell throughout Spartacus still wants his freedom and wants to reject this madness for he says he is not an animal. In locked cages and very little social time to none at all is very much similar to how they would have kept the slaves during this time period and how they treated them when the Roman empire was at large.  

There were two things I think that really set Spartacus off and made him make some really interesting but called for decisions. One was when the wealthy powerful man Crassus and his wife consort came from Rome. The spoiled, selfish men ask to be entertained by the sights of men fighting to the death, Spartacus must face a skilled gladiator named Draba who spares Spartacus’s life and goes for Crassus, only to be speared in the back by the guard. In historical context the weapons used in the movie where very similar to what would have been used, shield sword or staff-like blunt object. Along with the entertaining of a higher authority.  I think this meant something to Spartacus not because he was near moments from death and saved but because before that when trying to equate himself and become friendly with Draba he says “gladiators don’t make friends. If ever matched in the arena, I’d have to kill you.” He said this to Spartacus one of the first days he was there and on his last, he decided to save his life. This scene is a more fabricated part of the movie,but I think it gave it a lot of emotional meaning.

Along with Varinia, when taunted and teased by the guards he is told he does not deserve her. With time Spartacus grew fond of this girl,and when she was sold to Crassus from Rome and again teased by one of the trainers and infuriated that his soon to be wife was going to be sent to Rome,he couldn’t take it and instinct took over. Drowning a guard in some beans in the kitchen Spartacus causes a riot, and before you know it, the slaves have taken over the gladiator camp. Of course, no one knows of his love life for sure nor anything about his family either but the movie added that to give more of a reason to start this revolt known as the third servile war.

After the outbreak and the gladiators have taken it over and are filled with rage and wine.Fighting Batiatus and other head trainer, Spartacus intervenes and speaks of us being no better than them if we do the same thing. Spartacus had other plans for the trained gladiators and would turn them into a guerrilla force and combine with the pirates to defeat Rome and help free all slaves. Spartacus started a huge revolt grabbing attention all over Italy. Defeating less experienced smaller cities his campaign grew more prominent than ever the number is estimated to be around 90,000 slaves who joined him. And not all were capable of fighting. In the movie women and children did not precisely train or fight but help cook food ands make clothes or armor this is accurate to what would be happening if any civilization was to start up again from nothing.Leading up to the war the scenes were accurately displayed. The politics behind his campaign and unique techniques were right but when it came to the war scene itself we know that Spartacus did not survive the battle, he died from a spear wound in the thigh, and his comrades retreated. Although in the movie it is shown he does survive and that Crassus doesn’t know what he exactly looks like yet. To make it more difficult and frustrating for him when he calls out who is Spartacus to the remaining survivors many many of his followers stood up and said they were Spartacus proving they would give their life not only for the name of that man but in the name of their freedom.