Sentenced to spend out the rest of his adult life laboring in the harsh deserts of Egypt, the Thracian slave Spartacus gets a new lease on life when he is purchased by the obese owner of a Roman gladiator school. Moved by the defiance of an Ethiopian warrior, Draba, Spartacus leads a slave uprising which threatens Rome's status quo. As Spartacus gains sympathy within the Roman Senate, he also makes a powerful enemy in form of Marcus Lucinius Crassus, who makes it a matter of personal honor to crush the rebellion.

Dedicated to Sir Alan Bates (Agrippa), who died of cancer shortly after filming ended.

Spartacus:
Live Draba - that is what life is for.

Revealing mistakes: In the charge that precipitates the climactic battle, the legionaries of the Roman front line are shown advancing with shields in the left hand, swords in the right. Except for one in the lower foreground: his right hand is empty, he is advancing into combat with only a shield. As soon as he makes contact with a member of the rebel army, he falls on his back even though he hasn't actually been attacked yet.