'Spartacus: Slavery and Masters in Rome' at the Museo dell'Ara Pacis, Rome

The Exhibition, 'Spartacus: Slavery and Masters in Rome', which is shown in the stunning Richard Meier's building of the Museum of the Ara Pacis intends to investigate the greatest slave system that history has ever known, that of ancient Rome, taking as symbolical image the rebel gladiator Spartacus.

Having become a gladiator, Spartacus headed up the famous rebellion that began in the gladiator’s school in Capua. He gathered a multitude of slaves around him, drawing in many poor and desperate people too, turning them in to a real army with which he was able to hold the great Roman army at bay for three years. He terrorized Rome and its establishment despite the 10 legions, under the command of Marcus Licinius Craxus, brought in to fight him. Finally, however, he was defeated and although he died on the battlefield, his body was never found. 6000 of those who had fought alongside him in the rebellion were crucified along the stretch of the Via Appia that runs between Rome and Capua.

The various settings that typify the lives of Roman slaves in the centuries that followed Spartacus’ epic story are explained in the 11 sections of the exhibition. Some 250 archaeological finds have been brought in from 5 museums under the Capitoline Supervisory Body’s umbrella as well as many other Italian and major foreign museums too.

A selection of 10 copywrited photographs have also been included, along with audio and video installations that together bring the sounds, voices and settings of the historic environments to life creating a truly engrossing story. The end of the exhibition is marked by contributions from the International Labour Organization (ILO), a specialist United Nations agency, aimed at drawing attention to issues of work and social policies, the fight to eliminate forced labour and other forms of slavery linked to the world of work.

'Spartacus: Slavery and Masters in Rome' will run until 17 Sept, 2017.

Source: Museo dell'Ara Pacis [April 14, 2017]