It aired over two nights on the USA Network, and stars Goran Visnjic, Alan Bates (in his final television appearance), Angus Macfadyen, Rhona Mitra, Ian McNeice, Ross Kemp and Ben Cross.

As Marcus Crassus and Pompey Magnus are being proclaimed co-consuls, the announcer calls Rome an Empire, when it was still a Republic at the time.

However, in contemporary Latin, the meaning of “Imperium“, empire, just meant area where one exercises power.

Spartacus and the other slaves are brought to the gladiators to eat, where he meets Nardo (Chris Jarman), Draba (Henry Simmons) and David (James Frain).

Before a fight breaks out between Draba and Gannicus (Paul Telfer), they are stopped by their trainer Cinna (Ross Kemp).