Spartacus - Gods of the Arena

Spartacus Gods Of The Arena

Spartacus: Gods of the Arena is a Starz television mini-series and prequel to Spartacus: Blood and Sand, which premiered January 21, 2011. The series follows the character Gannicus (Dustin Clare), the first gladiator to become Champion of Capua representing Lentulus Batiatus. Cast members and characters reprised from the original series include John Hannah as Batiatus, Lucy Lawless as Lucretia, Peter Mensah as Oenomaus, Nick Tarabay as Ashur, Lesley-Ann Brandt as Naevia, Antonio Te Maioha as Barca, and Manu Bennett as Crixus. IGN gave the series positive reviews, especially the finale, giving it a 9.5/10 and calling it "Incredible".

1 "Past Transgressions" Jesse Warn Steven S. DeKnight 1.10M Viewers January 21, 2011
Batiatus finds himself in control of his father's ludus and selects his most skilled gladiator to win favor of a nobleman in order to be a part of the opening games in the new arena. And thus, the story of the Celt warrior Gannicus, the original champion of the House of Batiatus begins. The origins of the Gaul, Crixus are also explored.

2 "Missio" Rick Jacobson Maurissa Tancharoen & Jed Whedon 1.14M Viewers January 28, 2011
Batiatus succeeds in securing the position of primus for his man Gannicus in Vettius' upcoming games through an elaborate scheme. Oenomaus is challenged by Doctore, killing him and receiving the title of Doctore. Gannicus and Melitta are ordered to have sex with each other for Quintilius Varis' entertainment, leaving both of them deeply and emotionally troubled.

3 "Paterfamilias" Michael Hurst Aaron Helbing & Todd Helbing 1.26M Viewers February 4, 2011
Batiatus' father, Titus, returns and quickly undoes Batiatus' elaborate scheme by placing Crixus in where Gannicus was to fight. Auctus, on the other hand, gets killed by Crixus in an intense battle. Also, things are run amuck when Oenomaus feels he does not deserve his position as Doctore.

4 "Beneath the Mask" Brendan Maher Seamus Kevin Fahey & Misha Green 1.11[4] February 11, 2011
The power struggle between the younger and the elder Batiatus shakes the roots of their house and sees alliances formed and loyalties divided. Lucretia sides with her husband albeit reluctantly in performing a risky plan while Gannicus finds himself on unstable ground.

5 "Reckoning" John Fawcett Brent Fletcher 1.38M Viewers February 18, 2011
Batiatus' father announces a tournament to determine the worth of the men that make up his stable of gladiators. Crixus, dedicated to proving himself, is drawn into the power play within the house. Titus is finally killed by the poisoned wine given to him by Lucretia but unfortunately so is Melitta.

6 "The Bitter End" Rick Jacobson Steven S. DeKnight 1.72M Viewers February 25, 2011
Batiatus seeks vengeance for all that has befallen him; the opening of the new arena promises a spectacle of combat and blood. After winning the final fight of the opening ceremony, Gannicus receives his freedom and departs the ludus, but not before entrusting its future to Crixus.


Plot

The mini-series features the bloody history of the House of Batiatus and the city of Capua before the arrival of Spartacus. Quintus Lentulus Batiatus becomes a lanista (manager) when he takes over his father's ludus of gladiators. He has ambitions of stepping out of his father's shadow by seeking recognition for his own name and achieving greatness for his house. By his side stands his beautiful wife Lucretia who will help her husband achieve his goal no matter what the cost. Batiatus puts all his fortunes on the man who will gain him fame and glory, his best gladiator, the Celt, Gannicus; a skilled warrior who wields his swords in the arena as if it were his last day alive. However, there are those who oppose Batiatus and his future champion(s) of Capua, plotting against him only to fail. Purchased as an undisciplined and disheveled recruit in the first episode, the Gaul Crixus endures mockery and threats of death to become the greatest gladiator in the house after Gannicus. As Batiatus fends off repeated attempts by his professional rival Tullius to obtain Gannicus, his relationships with his father Titus and friend Solonius begin to suffer the strain of Quintus' relentless ambition. Former champion gladiator Oenomaus reluctantly retires from combat to become Doctore, while Syrian recruits Ashur and Dagan become fierce enemies as Ashur tries to prove himself worthy of being a gladiator. Veteran gladiators Barca and Gannicus accept the rising star of Crixus but fear that their own careers will suffer, as the machinations of Batiatus and Lucretia to court Capua's elite end in tragedy for several members of the household. Against all of this, the city's splendid new arena nears completion and with it the opening games that will make men into gods.


CAST:

Main cast

John Hannah as Quintus Lentulus Batiatus
Lucy Lawless as Lucretia ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ Batiatus' wife.
Dustin Clare as Gannicus ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ champion gladiator of the Batiatus' ludus.
Peter Mensah as Oenomaus ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ a gladiator who later becomes the Batiatus' doctore (gladiator trainer).
Jaime Murray as Gaia ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ a social climber and Lucretia's friend.
Marisa Ramirez as Melitta ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ Lucretia's personal slave and the wife of Oenomaus.
Jeffrey Thomas as Titus Lentulus Batiatus ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ Quintus Batiatus' father and owner of the family's ludus.
Stephen Lovatt as Tullius ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ Batiatus' business rival.
Manu Bennett as Crixus ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ a trainee gladiator.
Nick Tarabay as Ashur ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ a trainee gladiator.
Craig Walsh Wrightson as Marcus Decius Solonius ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ Batiatus' friend.
Antonio Te Maioha as Barca ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ a gladiator.
Gareth Williams as Vettius, Tullius' young henchman and owner of a rival ludus.
Lesley-Ann Brandt as Naevia ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ a slave girl.

Supporting cast

Jessica Grace Smith as Diona ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ a slave girl.
Temuera Morrison as Doctore ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ Oenomaus' predecessor as the Batiatus' gladiator trainer.
Josef Brown as Auctus ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ a gladiator.
Shane Rangi as Dagan ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ a trainee gladiator.


Genre: Historical drama
Mini-series

Creator Steven S. DeKnight

Directed by Jesse Warn
Rick Jacobson
Michael Hurst
Brendan Maher
John Fawcett

Produced by Steven S. DeKnight
Robert Tapert
Chloe Smith
Charles Knight
Aaron Lam

Written by Steven S. DeKnight
Maurissa Tancharoen
Jed Whedon
Aaron Helbing
Todd Helbing
Seamus Kevin Fahey
Misha Green
Brent Fletcher

Starring Dustin Clare
Lucy Lawless
John Hannah
Peter Mensah
Manu Bennett

Music by Joseph Loduca

Editing by Allanah Milne

Country United States

Language English

Original channel Starz

Original run January 21, 2011 ΓΓé¼ΓÇ£ February 25, 2011

Running time 300 minutes

No. of episodes 6

Preceded by Spartacus: Blood and Sand



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