Archaeologists in Italy have uncovered an ancient stone wall once used by Roman forces to corral the infamous slave-revolt leader and gladiator, Spartacus.

Remains of stone wall and earthworks built by Crᴀssus to contain Spartacus in a forest in southwestern Italy. Credit: Andrea Maria Gennaro, et al.

According to the Archaeological Insтιтute of America (AIA), this moss-coated wall, stretching approximately 2.7 kilometers (1.7 miles), was discovered in the Dossone della Melia forest in Calabria, a southern region of Italy. The wall is believed to have been part of a fortification system constructed by Roman general Marcus Licinius Crᴀssus in 71 BCE. to trap Spartacus and his men during the Third Servile War.

The discovery was initiated by a local environmental group that informed archaeologists about the wall. A team led by Dr. Paolo Visonà, an archaeologist from the University of Kentucky, conducted a thorough investigation using advanced techniques such as ground-penetrating radar, lidar (laser mapping), magnetometry, and soil core sampling to study the site. Their research revealed that the wall was part of a Roman fossa (ditch) and agger (mound) defense system, a common Roman fortification method.

Dr. Visonà’s team, which included experts like University of Kentucky anthropologist and geophysics specialist George M. Crothers, and Andrea Maria Gennaro from Italy’s Ministry of Culture, found numerous artifacts buried in the soil around the wall. These artifacts included broken iron weapons such as sword handles, large curved blades, javelin points, and a spearhead, indicating that a significant battle took place at the site.

Tod des Spartacus (Spartacus’ death), by Hermann Vogel (1854–1921). Public Domain

“We started studying weapons recovered along the wall, and the closest comparisons are with weapons from the late Republican period,” Gennaro told Live Science. “We believe we have identified the site of the clash.”

Historical accounts, particularly those documented by Greek philosopher and historian Plutarch in “The Life of Crᴀssus,” describe the construction of such fortifications by Crᴀssus during his campaign against Spartacus. The Third Servile War, also known as the Gladiator War, began in 73 BCE when Spartacus, along with about 70 other enslaved gladiators, escaped from a school in Capua. Their numbers swelled to tens of thousands as they defeated Roman forces in numerous battles across Italy.

Spartacus’s strategic use of local knowledge and military tactics allowed him to evade capture for some time. However, by 71 BCE, Crᴀssus, known for his ruthlessness and wealth, managed to corner Spartacus in the southern part of Italy. The wall in the Dossone della Melia forest was part of a series of fortifications designed to prevent Spartacus and his men from escaping to Sicily by cutting off access to the coastal roads and forcing them to attempt a crossing of the Aspromonte mountains.

Spartacus, marble sculpture by Denis Foyatier (1830), Louvre Museum. Credit: Carole Raddato, Flickr

Gennaro elaborated on the significance of the wall’s location and construction: “This barrier can be identified as the enclosure/fortification wall erected by Crᴀssus to contain and trap Spartacus and his forces. After trying to go to Sicily, Spartacus was not able to move along the coastal roads because of the presence of Romans, so the only way to go [to] the peninsula and escape was crossing Aspromonte.”

The Dossone della Melia plateau, strategically important since at least the 6th century BCE, served as a crucial pᴀss between the eastern and western coasts of southern Italy. Its significance continued well into the 16th century, protecting the territories of Greek colonies in Calabria and later being used by the Romans.