Publius Varinius

Letting himself down by these, he not only made his escape, but by appearing in another quarter struck such terror into Clodius that several cohorts gave way before a force of only seventy-four gladiators.

The same Spartacus, when enveloped by the troops of the proconsul Publius Varinius, placed stakes at short intervals before the gate of the camp.

Then setting up corpses dressed in clothes and furnished with weapons, he tied these to the stakes to give the appearance of sentries when viewed from a distance.

He also lighted fires throughout the whole camp, deceiving the enemy by this empty show.

To prove their sincerity, these surrendered their swords and shields to our men, and were despatched to the rear.

Then as soon as the engagement began, drawing out small swords which they had secreted, and picking up the shields of the fallen, they slaughtered the troops of the Romans.

Under pretence of surrender, the Lapides handed over some of their tribesmen to Publius Licinius, the Roman proconsul.

These were received and placed in the last line, whereupon they cut to pieces the Romans who were bringing up the rear.

Letting himself down by these, he not only made his escape, but by appearing in another quarter struck such terror into Clodius that several cohorts gave way before a force of only seventy-four gladiators.

The same Spartacus, when enveloped by the troops of the proconsul Publius Varinius, placed stakes at short intervals before the gate of the camp.

Then setting up corpses dressed in clothes and furnished with weapons, he tied these to the stakes to give the appearance of sentries when viewed from a distance.

He also lighted fires throughout the whole camp, deceiving the enemy by this empty show.

To prove their sincerity, these surrendered their swords and shields to our men, and were dispatched to the rear.

Then, as soon as the engagement began, drawing out small swords which they had secreted, and picking up the shields of the fallen, they slaughtered the troops of the Romans.

Under pretence of surrender, the Lapides handed over some of their tribesmen to Publius Licinius, the Roman proconsul.

These were received and placed in the last line, whereupon they cut to pieces the Romans who were bringing up the rear.

Ex-slaves were fielding a force equal to Rome's, and they kept winning.

They beat a praetor named Publius Varinius, raided across southern Italy, and took towns, burned villas, and every win brought in more recruits, which made the next win that much easier.

Money was breaking in real time while all this happened.

Villas were burning, harvests were lost, landowners were fleeing into the cities, and Rome's whole agricultural operation was stalling out.