Spartacus was a Thracian gladiator who led the most significant slave uprising against the Roman Republic, known as the Third Servile War. Escaping from a training school in Capua with about 70 followers, he eventually amassed an army of over 70,000 escaped slaves and rural poor. A brilliant tactician, he defeated several Roman legions using guerrilla warfare and innovative strategies. Unlike many other ancient rebels, Spartacus's goal seemed to be simply to lead his people to freedom beyond the Alps. Though he was eventually defeated and killed by the forces of Marcus Licinius Crassus, his name became a symbol of resistance against oppression. His legacy has inspired revolutionaries from the French Revolution to the modern era, representing the struggle for human dignity against institutionalized slavery.