Crixus

Who was Crixus?

Crixus was a Gallic gladiator, and military leader in the Third Servile War. Born in Gaul - his name means "one with curly hair" in Gaulish - he was enslaved by the Romans, and trained as gladiator in Capua.

In 73 B.C., Crixus was part of a small slave revolt in the gladiatorial training school of Lentulus Batiatus in Capua, where the slaves attempted to escape. The revolt was surprisingly successful, and the now free slaves chose Crixus - along with the Thracian Spartacus, and fellow Gauls Oenomaus, Castus, and Gannicus - as one of their leaders.

The movement which would come to be known as the Third Servile War proved very successful, defeating the militia forces the Roman Senate sent to put down the insurrection, and attracting thousands of fellow slaves to their ranks.

For reasons that are unclear, Crixus and his followers appear to have separated from Spartacus and the main body of escaped slaves, towards the end of 73 BC. This proved to an unfortunate choice, as they came under attack from a Roman army under the command of the Roman consul Lucius Gellius Publicola near Mount Garganus in 72 B.C.

Crixus was killed in the conflict.