Gannicus

Who is Gannicus?

Gannicus or Cannicus was a Gallic gladiator, from the gladiatorial school of Lentulus Batiatus in Capua. Together with the Thracian Spartacus, and the fellow Gauls Crixus, Oenomaus and Castus, he became one of the leaders of rebellious slaves during the Third Servile War. In the winter of 71 BC Gannicus along with Castus broke off from Spartacus taking a large number of Celts and Germans with them marking the second break off of the rebellion. Gannicus and Castus met their end in Lucania near Mount Soprano where Marcus Licinius Crassus, Lucius Pomptinus and Quintus Marcius Rufus entrenched their forces in battle and defeated them.