Archaeologists working in southern Italy have identified a Roman fortification built to contain the slave revolt leader Spartacus and his army.
Researchers have concluded that the wall, which extends over 2.7 kilometers , was built by the Roman general Marcus Licinius Crassus in 71 BCE. Spartacus served in the Roman army before becoming a bandit and being caught and sold as a slave. He escaped from a gladiator school in 73 BC with around 70 other slaves, and would eventually lead a slave revolt that took over most of southern Italy with around 90,000 men. Spartacus was killed in 71 BCE in a pitched battle with Crassus’ forces.
They found broken iron weapons, sword handles, large curved blades and javelin points, and Visonà believes he has identified the area where Spartacus and his forces attacked the wall. “There is an area where the wall seems to have been breached,” he said, adding that there is a high concentration of broken weapons around that part of the wall.
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