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{{Short description|Gallic gladiator and military leader (d. 72 BC)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Crixus
| birth_date = 
| death_date = 72 BC
| birth_place = [[Gaul]]
| death_place = [[Apulia]]
| office = 
| image = 
| caption = 
| allegiance= [[Spartacus]]' Rebel Army
| commands= Rebel Army
| battles=Third Servile War
| battles_label=
| laterwork=
| relations=
| nationality = [[Gauls|Gallic]]
}}

'''Crixus''' (died 72 BC) was a [[Gauls|Gallic]] gladiator and military leader in the [[Third Servile War]] between the [[Roman Republic]] and rebel slaves. Born in [[Gaul]], he was enslaved by the Romans under unknown circumstances and trained as a [[gladiator]] in [[Capua]].<ref>{{cite book|last=McLynn|first=Frank|title=Heroes & Villains: Inside the minds of the greatest warriors in history |year=2009|publisher=Random House|url=https://archive.org/details/heroesvillainsin0000mcly |url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/heroesvillainsin0000mcly/page/8 8]|isbn=9781605980294|access-date=12 December 2012}}</ref> His name means "one with curly hair" in [[Gaulish]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/wiltshirearchaeo1022wilt#page/315/mode/1up|last=Breeze|first=Andrew|title=Cricklade and the Britons|magazine=Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Magazine|volume=101|year=2008|pages=315–317|quote=...the Gaulish name ''Crixus'', cognate with Latin ''Crispus'' 'curly-headed one'...}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uY8TAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA49 |title=Proceedings of the British Academy, Vol. II: Celtae and Galli| last=Rhŷs |first=John |year=1905 |publisher=The British Academy |location=London |page=49}}</ref>

==Biography==
In 73BC, Crixus was part of what started as a small slave revolt in the gladiatorial training school of [[Lentulus Batiatus]] in [[Capua]], in which about 70 gladiators escaped. The escaped slaves defeated a small force sent to recapture them, then made camp on the slopes of [[Mount Vesuvius]]. Word of the escaped gladiators' revolt spread, and other escaped slaves started to join their ranks. At this time, the band of former slaves chose Crixus—with the [[Thracians|Thracian]] [[Spartacus]], and the Gaul [[Oenomaus (rebel slave)|Oenomaus]]—as one of their leaders. Later in the rebellion, another Gaul, [[Castus (rebel slave)|Castus]], and Celtic former gladiator [[Gannicus]] also served as generals under Spartacus.

The movement, in the course of what would come to be known as the [[Third Servile War]], witnessed numerous military successes for the escaped slaves. They routed the [[militia]] forces the [[Roman Senate]] sent to put down the insurrection by rappelling down the cliffs of Mount Vesuvius and attacking the Roman camp from behind. With these early successes, thousands of fellow slaves swarmed to their ranks, until their numbers swelled to perhaps as many as 150,000.

For reasons that are unclear, Crixus and about 30,000 followers appear to have separated from Spartacus and the main body of escaped slaves toward the end of 73 BC. Contemporary historians have theorized two possible reasons for the split. One theory proposes that Crixus and his followers were intent on plundering the Roman countryside and, perhaps, marching on Rome, while Spartacus and his followers wanted to cross the Alps to reach Gaul and freedom. A second theory is that the split had strategic value and was planned by Spartacus and Crixus as a way to further their strategic goals. However, Spartacus's actions raise more questions about their intentions. Both accounts by Appian and Plutarch state that after Spartacus defeated Lentulus, he turned back and attacked an army behind him. In one account, it was Gellius' army, in the other, it was an unnamed Roman force.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.livius.org/sources/content/appian/appian-spartacus/|title=Appian on Spartacus|publisher=Appian on Spartacus|access-date=January 18, 2021}}</ref>

Whatever the reason for the split, Crixus' contingent encountered a Roman army under the command of the [[Roman consul]] [[Lucius Gellius Publicola (consul 72 BC)|Lucius Gellius Publicola]] near [[Mount Gargano]] in 72 BC. The two consular legions under the command of Publicola were deployed defensively along the crest of a hill, while the slaves led by Crixus made three unsuccessful assaults up a steep slope, during which two thirds of the slave army perished.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite book|first=Nic|last=Fields|pages=55 & 60–61|title=Spartacus and the Slave War 73-71BC|date=21 July 2009|isbn=978-1-84603-353-7}}</ref> Crixus himself, who is said to have fought bravely in a losing effort, was killed in the conflict.

Spartacus, on hearing of the defeat of Crixus and his forces, held mock gladiatorial games, in which he forced captured Roman soldiers to fight to the death. Either 300 or 400 Romans were sacrificed in Crixus' honor.<ref name=Strauss2009-01a>Strauss (2009, UK edition) "[https://books.google.com/books?id=lSjmpur9sJ4C&q=added+bitter+twist+&pg=PT48 Spartacus added a bitter twist by reversing roles: he made the slaves spectators and the Romans gladiators. The occasion was Crixus’s funeral games.] ... [https://books.google.com/books?id=lSjmpur9sJ4C&q=300+400+Crixus&pg=PT48 Spartacus called up 300 (or 400 according to another source) Roman prisoners and had them fight to the death around a pyre - a symbol, at least, of Crixus, assuming his body had not been recovered.]"</ref><ref name=Futrell2010-01a>{{cite book |last=Futrell |first=Alison |title=Blood in the Arena: The Spectacle of Roman Power|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VRG1m8LjUloC&q=Romans+sacrificed+honour+Crixus&pg=PA183 |year=2010 |publisher=[[University of Texas Press]]|page=183 |isbn=9780292792401|quote=After the defeat of Crixus by a consular army, Spartacus sacrificed 300 Roman prisoners to the spirit of his deceased colleague.[61] Here a distinction in treatment is clearly drawn between the 300 Romans whom he sacrificed and the totality of the remaining prisoner group, whom he simply destroyed.}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
*Crixus was portrayed by [[John Ireland (actor)|John Ireland]] in the 1960 film ''[[Spartacus (film)|Spartacus]]''.
*Crixus appears as a character in ''[[Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of Spartacus]]'', played by ex-[[Marillion]] lead singer, [[Fish (singer)|Fish]].
*Crixus is portrayed by Paul Kynman in the 2004 TV movie ''[[Spartacus (2004 film)|Spartacus]]''.
*Crixus was played by [[Manu Bennett]] in the [[Starz (TV channel)|Starz]] television series ''[[Spartacus: Blood and Sand]]'',<ref>{{cite web|author=Starz |title=Manu Bennett in ''Spartacus: Blood and Sand'' |url=http://www.starz.com/originals/spartacus/cast/Crixus/ManuBennett/Pages/ManuBennett.aspx |access-date=January 31, 2010 |authorlink=Starz (TV channel) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717232942/http://www.starz.com/originals/spartacus/cast/Crixus/ManuBennett/Pages/ManuBennett.aspx |archive-date=July 17, 2011 }}</ref> the prequel ''[[Spartacus: Gods of the Arena]]'' and sequels ''[[Spartacus: Vengeance]]'' and ''[[Spartacus: War of the Damned]]''. Contrasting the 1960 film, in which Crixus and Spartacus quickly become close friends, the Starz series initially portrays them as intense rivals with a near-hatred of one another. It is not until the rebellion that the two become respected friends.
*In the expandable miniature wargaming system [[Heroscape]], Crixus appears as a unique gladiator hero, having been rescued by the Archkyrie Einar before his death.

==See also==
{{Portal|Ancient Rome}}
{{Div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Alaric I]]
* [[Ardaric]]
* [[Ariovistus]]
* [[Athanaric]]
* [[Battle of Baduhenna Wood]]
* [[Belgios]]
* [[Boduognatus]]
* [[Boiorix]]
* [[Boudica]]
* [[Brennus (3rd century BC)|Brennus]]
* [[Brennus (4th century BC)|Brennus]]
* [[Chrocus]]
* [[Crius]]—Crixus's namesake
* [[Divico]]
* [[Fritigern]]
* [[Gainas]]
* [[Gaius Julius Civilis]]
* [[Genseric]]
* [[John of Gothia]]
* [[Mithradates VI]]
* [[Odoacer]]
* [[Radagaisus]]
* [[Teutobod]]
* [[Totila]]
* [[Tribigild]]
* [[Valamir]]
* [[Vercingetorix]]
* [[Viriathus]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
===Citations===
{{reflist}}

===Ancient sources===
* [[Appian]], ''Civil Wars'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=App.+BC+1.14.116 1.116]
* [[Livy]], ''Perochiae'' [https://www.livius.org/li-ln/livy/periochae/periochae096.html 96] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170719062132/http://www.livius.org/li-ln/livy/periochae/periochae096.html |date=2017-07-19 }}
* [[Florus]], ''Epitome'' 2.8.20 [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/3slaverevolttexts.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628231146/http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/3slaverevolttexts.htm |date=2011-06-28 }}
* [[Sallust]], ''Fragmenta Historiarum'' 3

===Modern sources===
* Smith, William (1870). ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'' {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090825124336/http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0905.html Vol 1 p. 896]}}
* Bradley, Keith. ''Slavery and Rebellion in the Roman World.'' Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1989. {{ISBN|0-253-21169-7}}
* {{cite book |last=Strauss |first=Barry |title=The Spartacus War |url=https://archive.org/details/spartacuswar00stra |url-access=registration |year=2009 |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |isbn=978-1-4165-3205-7}} ([https://books.google.com/books?id=lSjmpur9sJ4C UK edition]: [[Hachette UK]], 2009 {{ISBN|0297857665}}, 9780297857662)

[[Category:1st-century BC Romans]]
[[Category:72 BC deaths]]
[[Category:Celtic warriors]]
[[Category:Gaulish people]]
[[Category:Military personnel killed in action]]
[[Category:Ancient Roman rebel slaves]]
[[Category:Republican era slaves and freedmen]]
[[Category:Roman gladiators]]
[[Category:Spartacus]]
[[Category:Third Servile War]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:1st-century BC rebels]]