Spartacus is the third scenario of the Enemies of Rome campaign in Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome. The forces of Rome must defend Italy from Spartacus and his army of slaves.
In the Definitive Edition, it was reworked into The Revolt of Spartacus.
Scenario instructions[]
Description[]
| “ | 73 to 71 BC A new slave revolt has broken out and much of south central Italy is in turmoil. This revolt may be the most dangerous we have faced. The addition of many gladiators has strengthened the fighting power of the slaves. You are to engage the slave army of Spartacus and destroy it before it depopulates all of central Italy. We can't have the revolt continue or spread. |
” |
| —In-game section | ||
Starting conditions[]
- Starting Age:
Bronze Age - Starting resources: 500 food, 500 wood, 500 gold, 500 stone
- Population limit: 50
- Starting units:
- 10
Villagers
- 10
Objective[]
- Destroy the gladiator army before it destroys the Italians.
Hints[]
- Research Writing as soon as possible so you can track the Roman invasion force.
- It may be best to protect only a small portion of your allies, rather than attempting to protect the entire region.
Players[]
Player[]
- Player ( Romans): The player starts with many Villagers but no army in the western corner of the map. There is plenty resources nearby, but the player should not waste too much time since Italy is quite a distance away and under attack.
Allies[]
- Italy ( Romans): Italy occupies almost the entire eastern part of the map with dozens of farms and other buildings as well as Villagers. Unfortunately, they are defenseless except for a few Watch Towers. They will be wiped out if not defended by the player.
Enemies[]
- Slave Army ( Greeks): The Slave Army starts off with a large force at the north-eastern edge of the map. Luckily, not all of it will attack at once - most of it will stay back in their base, and move slowly.
Strategy[]
Researching Writing will reveal the attacks on Italy and allow the player to build up their forces accordingly. All enemy Armored Elephants should be converted, while killing everything else.
A composition to aim for can be Long Swordsmen or Legions, Cavalry, Ballistae or Helepolises, and a few Priests.
If there is a surplus of wood, building a Dock to the south will allow food income from fishing, and also Triremes can be sent upriver to deal some damage.
History[]
Historical notes[]
| “ | Slaves obtained through conquest were a major component of the Roman economy, doing most of the common labor and many professional tasks as well. The conditions under which slaves worked and the treatment they received varied widely. During bad times or because of particularly harsh treatment, slave rebellions occurred. These were called Servile Wars, from the Roman word for slaves. (The word slave is thought to have derived from later centuries when so many Slavs were enslaved.) The dependence on slaves rather than industrialization is suggested as one reason for the eventual fall of Rome. Another is the lack of new drafts of slaves after the second century AD when new conquests ceased. The slave revolt led by the gladiator Spartacus was one of the longest and most destructive. Many additional gladiators (soldier slaves trained to fight in arenas for sport) augmented his fighting forces. For two years the slaves under Spartacus rampaged in central Italy, raping and pillaging at will. They operated from a base near Mt. Vesuvius and defeated several Roman armies sent against them. An army under Crassus brought the slaves to battle in 71 BC and routed them. Pompey completed the restoration of order. Captured slaves were crucified along the road leading back to Rome as a warning to others. |
” |
| —In-game section | ||
Victory[]
| “ | Your victory over the huge slave army is great news for the citizens of Rome. We are thankful that this scourge has been removed from the countryside and that peace has been restored. You have been elected one of the three consuls of Rome. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Loss[]
| “ | Your failure to save the Italians from Spartacus has embarrassed Rome and encouraged revolt among the slaves to the north as well. Our economy is in shambles. Farms everywhere are devastated. People in the city are starving while people in the countryside are hunted down and killed. You are to be ejected from the Senate, possibly by catapult in the direction of the Tiber River. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Trivia[]
- Although the campaign depicts scenarios that the players take the point of view of the enemies of Rome, in this scenario, the player plays as the Romans against the slave army. This was done so players can experience all four new civilizations added in The Rise of Rome.
- In the Definitive Edition version, the perspective was switched to that of Spartacus.
