Spartacus: Gods of the Arena
Encyclopedia
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena is a Starz television mini-series
and prequel
to Spartacus: Blood and Sand
, which premiered January 21, 2011. The series follows the character Gannicus (Dustin Clare
), the first gladiator
to become Champion of Capua
representing Lentulus Batiatus
. Cast members and characters reprised from the original series include John Hannah
as Batiatus
, Lucy Lawless
as Lucretia, Peter Mensah
as Oenomaus
, Nick Tarabay
as Ashur, Lesley-Ann Brandt
as Naevia, Antonio Te Maioha
as Barca, and Manu Bennett
as Crixus
. IGN
gave the series positive reviews, especially the finale, giving it a 9.5/10 and calling it "Incredible".
before the arrival of Spartacus. Quintus Lentulus Batiatus becomes a lanista
(manager) when he takes over his father's ludus of gladiators. He has ambitions of stepping out of his father's shadow by seeking recognition for his own name and achieving greatness for his house. By his side stands his beautiful wife Lucretia who will help her husband achieve his goal no matter what the cost. Batiatus puts all his fortunes on the man who will gain him fame and glory, his best gladiator, the Celt
, Gannicus; a skilled warrior who wields his swords in the arena as if it were his last day alive. However, there are those who oppose Batiatus and his future champion(s) of Capua, plotting against him only to fail.
Purchased as an undisciplined and disheveled recruit in the first episode, the Gaul Crixus endures mockery and threats of death to become the greatest gladiator in the house after Gannicus. As Batiatus fends off repeated attempts by his professional rival Tullius to obtain Gannicus, his relationships with his father Titus and friend Solonius begin to suffer the strain of Quintus' relentless ambition. Former champion gladiator Oenomaus reluctantly retires from combat to become Doctore, while Syrian recruits Ashur and Dagan become fierce enemies as Ashur tries to prove himself worthy of being a gladiator. Veteran gladiators Barca and Gannicus accept the rising star of Crixus but fear that their own careers will suffer, as the machinations of Batiatus and Lucretia to court Capua's elite end in tragedy for several members of the household. Against all of this, the city's splendid new arena nears completion and with it the opening games that will make men into gods.
was halted while lead actor Andy Whitfield
battled Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
. Series creator and executive producer
Steven S. DeKnight
expanded a single flashback
episode for the second season into a six-part mini-series. Production for Gods of the Arena began in New Zealand
in August 2010.
The mini-series originated on Starz in the United States. Gods of the Arena also aired in Canada on Movie Central
and The Movie Network
, and on Sky1 in the United Kingdom.
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
and prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
to Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Spartacus: Blood and Sand is a Starz television series that premiered on January 22, 2010. The series is inspired by the historical figure of Spartacus , a Thracian gladiator who from 73 to 71 BC led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Executive producers Steven S...
, which premiered January 21, 2011. The series follows the character Gannicus (Dustin Clare
Dustin Clare
Dustin Clare is a Logie Award winning Australian actor. He is best known for his starring role as Gannicus in the Starz mini-series Spartacus: Gods of the Arena and will reprise his role in Spartacus: Vengeance.-Biography:...
), the first gladiator
Gladiator
A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
to become Champion of Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
representing Lentulus Batiatus
Lentulus Batiatus
Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Batiatus was the Roman owner of a gladiatorial school in Capua , in southern Italy. It was from this school that in 73 BC, the Thracian slave, Spartacus, and about 70 to 78 followers, escaped...
. Cast members and characters reprised from the original series include John Hannah
John Hannah (actor)
John David Hannah is a Scottish actor of film and television. He has appeared in Stephen Sommers' Mummy Series, Richard Curtis' Four Weddings and a Funeral and Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow...
as Batiatus
Lentulus Batiatus
Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Batiatus was the Roman owner of a gladiatorial school in Capua , in southern Italy. It was from this school that in 73 BC, the Thracian slave, Spartacus, and about 70 to 78 followers, escaped...
, Lucy Lawless
Lucy Lawless
Lucy Lawless, MNZM is a New Zealander actress and singer best known for playing the title character of the internationally successful television series Xena: Warrior Princess....
as Lucretia, Peter Mensah
Peter Mensah
Peter Mensah , is an English/Ghanaian actor, best known for his roles in Tears of the Sun and 300, and more recently on the Starz original series, Spartacus: Blood and Sand and Spartacus: Gods of the Arena.-Early life:Mensah comes from an academic family...
as Oenomaus
Oenomaus (rebel slave)
Oenomaus was a gladiator from Gaul, who escaped from the gladiatorial school of Lentulus Batiatus in Capua. Together with the Thracian Spartacus and a fellow Gaul, Crixus, he became one of the leaders of rebellious slaves during the Third Servile War , but died early in the war.Oenomaus was...
, Nick Tarabay
Nick Tarabay
Nick E. Tarabay is an American actor of Lebanese descent.- Early life :Tarabay was born in Tripoli, Lebanon to a large family. His mother and father still reside in Lebanon as does his younger brother and a large extended family of cousins, uncles and aunts. He moved to New York after high school...
as Ashur, Lesley-Ann Brandt
Lesley-Ann Brandt
Lesley-Ann Brandt is a South African-born actress who is based in Auckland, New Zealand, and Los Angeles, United States. Brandt has acted in a number of New Zealand television series and first came to international notice with her role as a slave girl Naevia in the series Spartacus: Blood and...
as Naevia, Antonio Te Maioha
Antonio Te Maioha
Antonio Te Maioha is a television and film actor from New Zealand. He first came to international prominence when he played a gladiator named Barca in the television drama Spartacus: Blood and Sand.-Background:...
as Barca, and Manu Bennett
Manu Bennett
Manu Bennett is an actor from New Zealand who has appeared in television series and movies.- Early life :Born in New Zealand, Bennett's mother was an Australian bikini model, his father a New Zealand singer. The family moved to Australia when Bennett was a few months old...
as Crixus
Crixus
Crixus was a leader of the slave rebellion in the Third Servile War, along with Spartacus and Oenomaus.He was a Gaul , and had been a slave for several years before the revolt. Crixus had fought for the Allobroges against the Romans and had been captured. Like his companions, Crixus had trained as...
. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave the series positive reviews, especially the finale, giving it a 9.5/10 and calling it "Incredible".
Plot
The mini-series features the bloody history of the House of Batiatus and the city of CapuaCapua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
before the arrival of Spartacus. Quintus Lentulus Batiatus becomes a lanista
Laništa
Laništa is a village in the municipality of Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina....
(manager) when he takes over his father's ludus of gladiators. He has ambitions of stepping out of his father's shadow by seeking recognition for his own name and achieving greatness for his house. By his side stands his beautiful wife Lucretia who will help her husband achieve his goal no matter what the cost. Batiatus puts all his fortunes on the man who will gain him fame and glory, his best gladiator, the Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
, Gannicus; a skilled warrior who wields his swords in the arena as if it were his last day alive. However, there are those who oppose Batiatus and his future champion(s) of Capua, plotting against him only to fail.
Purchased as an undisciplined and disheveled recruit in the first episode, the Gaul Crixus endures mockery and threats of death to become the greatest gladiator in the house after Gannicus. As Batiatus fends off repeated attempts by his professional rival Tullius to obtain Gannicus, his relationships with his father Titus and friend Solonius begin to suffer the strain of Quintus' relentless ambition. Former champion gladiator Oenomaus reluctantly retires from combat to become Doctore, while Syrian recruits Ashur and Dagan become fierce enemies as Ashur tries to prove himself worthy of being a gladiator. Veteran gladiators Barca and Gannicus accept the rising star of Crixus but fear that their own careers will suffer, as the machinations of Batiatus and Lucretia to court Capua's elite end in tragedy for several members of the household. Against all of this, the city's splendid new arena nears completion and with it the opening games that will make men into gods.
Main cast
- John HannahJohn Hannah (actor)John David Hannah is a Scottish actor of film and television. He has appeared in Stephen Sommers' Mummy Series, Richard Curtis' Four Weddings and a Funeral and Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow...
as Quintus Lentulus BatiatusLentulus BatiatusGnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Batiatus was the Roman owner of a gladiatorial school in Capua , in southern Italy. It was from this school that in 73 BC, the Thracian slave, Spartacus, and about 70 to 78 followers, escaped... - Lucy LawlessLucy LawlessLucy Lawless, MNZM is a New Zealander actress and singer best known for playing the title character of the internationally successful television series Xena: Warrior Princess....
as Lucretia – Batiatus' wife. - Dustin ClareDustin ClareDustin Clare is a Logie Award winning Australian actor. He is best known for his starring role as Gannicus in the Starz mini-series Spartacus: Gods of the Arena and will reprise his role in Spartacus: Vengeance.-Biography:...
as Gannicus – champion gladiator of the Batiatus' ludus. - Peter MensahPeter MensahPeter Mensah , is an English/Ghanaian actor, best known for his roles in Tears of the Sun and 300, and more recently on the Starz original series, Spartacus: Blood and Sand and Spartacus: Gods of the Arena.-Early life:Mensah comes from an academic family...
as OenomausOenomaus (rebel slave)Oenomaus was a gladiator from Gaul, who escaped from the gladiatorial school of Lentulus Batiatus in Capua. Together with the Thracian Spartacus and a fellow Gaul, Crixus, he became one of the leaders of rebellious slaves during the Third Servile War , but died early in the war.Oenomaus was...
– a gladiator who later becomes the Batiatus' doctore (gladiator trainer). - Jaime MurrayJaime MurrayJaime Murray is an English actress, best known for playing Stacie Monroe in Hustle and Lila Tournay in season two of the Showtime series Dexter. She has also had recurring roles as H.G...
as Gaia – a social climber and Lucretia's friend. - Marisa RamirezMarisa RamirezMarisa Carolina Ramirez is an American actress.-Early life:Ramirez attended an all-girls' school in Alhambra, California at the Ramona Convent Secondary School. Her career began at age 13 when she was brought to the attention of a major L.A...
as Melitta – Lucretia's personal slave and the wife of Oenomaus. - Jeffrey ThomasJeffrey Thomas (actor)Jeffrey Thomas is a Welsh-born New Zealand actor, best known for his television roles. He rose to prominence in New Zealand in the late 1980s with the lead role of Inspector "Sharky" Finn in the TVNZ police drama series Shark in the Park, and is also well-known for his roles in two long-running New...
as Titus Lentulus Batiatus – Quintus Batiatus' father and owner of the family's ludus. - Stephen LovattStephen LovattStephen Lovatt is a New Zealand actor, best known for his portrayal of the character Max Hoyland on the Australian soap Neighbours.-Career:...
as Tullius – Batiatus' business rival. - Manu BennettManu BennettManu Bennett is an actor from New Zealand who has appeared in television series and movies.- Early life :Born in New Zealand, Bennett's mother was an Australian bikini model, his father a New Zealand singer. The family moved to Australia when Bennett was a few months old...
as CrixusCrixusCrixus was a leader of the slave rebellion in the Third Servile War, along with Spartacus and Oenomaus.He was a Gaul , and had been a slave for several years before the revolt. Crixus had fought for the Allobroges against the Romans and had been captured. Like his companions, Crixus had trained as...
– a trainee gladiator. - Nick TarabayNick TarabayNick E. Tarabay is an American actor of Lebanese descent.- Early life :Tarabay was born in Tripoli, Lebanon to a large family. His mother and father still reside in Lebanon as does his younger brother and a large extended family of cousins, uncles and aunts. He moved to New York after high school...
as Ashur – a trainee gladiator. - Craig Walsh Wrightson as Marcus Decius Solonius – Batiatus' friend.
- Antonio Te MaiohaAntonio Te MaiohaAntonio Te Maioha is a television and film actor from New Zealand. He first came to international prominence when he played a gladiator named Barca in the television drama Spartacus: Blood and Sand.-Background:...
as Barca – a gladiator. - Gareth WilliamsGareth Williams (New Zealand actor)Gareth Williams is a New Zealand born actor of television, film and theatre. He trained for a year with the Auckland Theatre Company at the prestigious Globe Theater in London. He then attained his Bachelor of Performing Arts at Toi: Whakaari Dramatic Arts College in 2006...
as Vettius, Tullius' young henchman and owner of a rival ludus. - Lesley-Ann BrandtLesley-Ann BrandtLesley-Ann Brandt is a South African-born actress who is based in Auckland, New Zealand, and Los Angeles, United States. Brandt has acted in a number of New Zealand television series and first came to international notice with her role as a slave girl Naevia in the series Spartacus: Blood and...
as Naevia – a slave girl.
Supporting cast
- Jessica Grace Smith as Diona – a slave girl.
- Temuera MorrisonTemuera MorrisonTemuera Derek Morrison is a New Zealand-born actor. He has become one of the country's most famous stars for his roles as the abusive Jake "the Muss" Heke in 1994's Once Were Warriors and as bounty hunter Jango Fett and the Clone Troopers in the Star Wars series...
as Doctore – Oenomaus' predecessor as the Batiatus' gladiator trainer. - Josef Brown as Auctus – a gladiator.
- Shane RangiShane RangiShane Rangi is a New Zealand actor from Ngati Porou. He featured in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy and was also a stunt performer....
as Dagan – a trainee gladiator.
Episodes
| # | Title | Directed by | Written by | U.S. viewers (million) |
Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Production
The opportunity to produce Gods of the Arena emerged when the second season of Spartacus: Blood and SandSpartacus: Blood and Sand
Spartacus: Blood and Sand is a Starz television series that premiered on January 22, 2010. The series is inspired by the historical figure of Spartacus , a Thracian gladiator who from 73 to 71 BC led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Executive producers Steven S...
was halted while lead actor Andy Whitfield
Andy Whitfield
Andy Whitfield was a Welsh actor and model. He was best known for his leading role in the Starz television series Spartacus: Blood and Sand during 2010, a year before his death at the age of 39.-Career:...
battled Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
The non-Hodgkin lymphomas are a diverse group of blood cancers that include any kind of lymphoma except Hodgkin's lymphomas. Types of NHL vary significantly in their severity, from indolent to very aggressive....
. Series creator and executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
Steven S. DeKnight
Steven S. DeKnight
Steven S. DeKnight is an American television screenwriter, producer, and director. He is best known for working on Smallville, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Angel. He has also written "Swell", a story in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer season eight comic series, and served as a consulting producer...
expanded a single flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
episode for the second season into a six-part mini-series. Production for Gods of the Arena began in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in August 2010.
The mini-series originated on Starz in the United States. Gods of the Arena also aired in Canada on Movie Central
Movie Central
Movie Central is a Canadian English language Category A premium television service. Movie Central is designated to operate west of the Ontario-Manitoba border, including the territories...
and The Movie Network
The Movie Network
The Movie Network is a Canadian English language Category A premium television service, owned by Astral Media. The service is licensed to operate east of the Ontario-Manitoba border, excluding the territories...
, and on Sky1 in the United Kingdom.