"Spartacus and opponents " Topic

Hi all

I picked up a big pile of 6mm H&R Roman and Barbarians intended for a
Slave Revolt Project(3rd revolt under Spartacus). I want to create
matching armies for both Basic Impetus and DBA and the lists are pretty
similar and I have lots of figures. Does anyone know the makeup of the
Roman armies that fought against Spartacus? I was planning to use the
Marian Roman list but there is lots of options of troop types and
different types of each troop type.

DBA list
1 Cv or LH Roman Equites Alares and Germanic, Gallic, Spanish,
Macedonian or other allies.
2 Bd or LH Legionaires or Numidian, Spanish, Thracian, Illyrian,
Kappadokian or Syrian light horse.
5 Bd Legionaries
1 Ps slingers (Balearic, Greek or Numidian), archers (Cretan, Numidian,
Syrian, Gallic, Greek or Pontic) and/or javelinmen (German, Numidian,
Spanish or Greek)
1 PS orAx
1 El, Wb, Cv, Art Numidian elephants,wild Gauls, Cavalry,city bolt
thrower

and Basic Impetus list
1 CM(*) Gauls, Germans, Italians..
1 CL Numidians, Tracians…
4 FP(*) Legionaries – pilum
1 FL Spanish, Ligurians. – javelin
1 S short bow B (Cretans) or sling (Balearics) or javelin (Spanish or
Numidians)

I just finished watching Spartacus but that didn't help …..

Cheers
Kieran

Hi Keiran, this should give you something to go on:

link

link

Cheers,
Aaron

The sources only mention legionaries. Other troops may have been used as well, but to get the right feel you'd want to concentrate on the legionaries and, if the rules allow, make many or all of them poor quality for much of the war. They were hastily raised and needed Crassus to whip them into shape.
Where there is a choice of appearance, I'd probably go for some Gallic from Cisalpine Gaul and generic 'Greeks' who might be from the Southern cities or hired from abroad. The armies in Spain and Asia would get the priority though.

I'd certainly leave out the elephants and probably keep mounted to a minimum. This helps Spartacus's horse to have more impact.

Pompey's returning army probably had a greater mix but he was really just mopping up.

Swampster has it right. Little is recorded – heck, the whole surviving body of Roman writings on Spartacus is only a bit over 4,000 words – less than the WI article I wrote about his last stand three years ago.

Mostly legionaries, mostly quickly raised and badly led, until Crassus worked them into shape. Not much cavalry, no fancy additions.

Thanks guys for your help