The uprising of the slaves against the Romans in 73 BC, led by the gladiator Spartacus, has been an inspiration to generations of people who have stood up against oppression. By the time he was captures by Marcus Licinius Crassus in 71 BC and crucified, his army of around 90,0000 slaves and dispossessed and defeated several Roman armies and devastated much of the southern part of the Italian peninsula. This marvellous historical novel, based on an intimate knowledge of the historical background and a perceptive understanding of human nature, is wonderful to read as fiction, as adventure, and as a history of people in the grip of exploitation and oppression. It is undoubtedly a masterpiece from one of Scotland’s greatest writers.