Macedonians, Maedi, and the legend of Spartacus
 

In the year 146 BC, Macedonia was finally conquered and became a Roman province, with several hundred thousand Macedonians slaughtered and enslaved, including the royal family, who were taken to Rome as hostages. Several destructive waves of attack by the Romans and their local mercenary allies took place, who wreaked havoc in the villages, towns and cities of Macedonia. With the construction of the Via Egnatia completed towards the end of the 2nd century BC, the Romans were able to expedite the flow of resources to their new garrisons and settlements, and further cement their control in the region.

[B][U]Macedonia prior to Roman subjugation[/U][/B]
[URL=http://img413.imageshack.us/i/macedoniaandtheaegeanwo.png/][IMG]http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/2442/macedoniaandtheaegeanwo.png[/IMG][/URL]

The people of Thracian origin constituted the largest element in the overall population of Europe in antiquity ([I]Herodotus, V. & Pausanias, 1, 1, 16.[/I] [url]http://www.macedoniantruth.org/forum/showthread.php?t=960&page=5[/url]), and they lived in the regions that are today known as being overwhelmingly dominated by the Slavic linguistic group, which also happens to be the largest in Europe. Consequently, there is no doubt that the majority of the Thracian people evolved into what are now known as speakers of Slavic languages. Like their modern equivalents in today's Slavic-speaking world, the Thracians were unable to capitalise on their numerical superiority, largely due to tribal divisions and interference from other neighbouring peoples. Therefore, unity among all of the tribes in Thrace, let alone those of Thracian origin overall, was constantly found lacking. The inhabitants of Macedonia were largely Thracian by origin ([I]Strabo, 7, 7, frg 1.[/I] [url]http://www.macedoniantruth.org/forum/showthread.php?p=5517#post5517[/url]), like their neighbours, the Maedi. The homeland of the Maedi was located between the middle of the river Struma on the west and the beginning of the river Mesta on the east, which corresponds near exact to the Pirin region of eastern Macedonia (usurped by Bulgaria during the Balkan Wars of 1912-13). It is important to highlight that, although some regions in northern and eastern Macedonia such as Skopje and Pirin may not have always been labelled as Macedonian, they certainly came to be during the life of the Roman Republic/Empire, resulting from a number of circumstances such as former legacies of regional influence, population movements, population growth and expansions, provincial restructures and border alterations.

[B][U]Homeland of the Maedi[/U][/B]
[URL=http://img514.imageshack.us/i/strumabalkantopode.jpg/][IMG]http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/8637/strumabalkantopode.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

When Alexander was only 16, Phillip had left him in charge of affairs in Macedonia while he travelled to the far eastern coast of Thrace to attack Byzantium. That Phillip and the Macedonian army would have had to travel across or past the territory of the Maedi, would not have gone unnoticed by the latter, and, when the first opportunity presented itself, they began to stir up trouble and revolt against Macedonian rule. Alexander met the challenge of the Maedi with supreme confidence and soundly defeated them in 340 BC. He also followed in his father's footsteps and established a new settlement named after himself, that was known in Greek as Alexandopolis. The exact location of the settlement remains unknown as it did not gain any significance of worth. Although the territory of the Maedi was absorbed within Macedonia's expanding borders, and subsequently became allied with the Macedonians, animosity continued to exist, with the Maedi again rebelling during the reign of Phillip V and joining the Romans as allies during the reign of his son Perseus ([I]Titus Livius, 42, 19. & 28, 5.[/I] [url]http://www.macedoniantruth.org/forum/showthread.php?p=52416#post52416[/url]). Therefore, the Maedi are almost certainly one of the tribes that assisted the Romans during their military actions against the Macedonians, although, as the Romans would learn, their allegiances were kept true only to their own tribe.

The hypothesis that Spartacus was of the Maedi tribe was first raised by K. Ziegler in 1955, who suggests that there was a mistake in Plutarch's text, where, rather than the word '[I]nomadikon[/I]', what was really intented was the tribal name of '[I]maidikon[/I]' ([I]The Histories of Sallust, Patrick McGushin.[/I] [url]http://books.google.bg/books?id=nDywHFWbTrwC&pg=PA112&lpg=PA112&dq=spartakus+maedi&source=bl&ots=TgXU2Fje7M&sig=YH4IR5PSO6XhSTUH-aaxB5rDzpA&hl=bg&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#v=onepage&q&f=false[/url]). It remains the most valid and accurate probability as there is reason for indicating Spartacus' tribal name, but not much for indicating that he was 'nomad'. Possibly recognising that resistance against the Romans would be fruitless or come at great cost, Spartacus joined other Thracian mercenaries in the service of Rome, and eventually established himself as a Roman soldier. At some point however, he deserted the Roman army along with many of his compatriots, some of whom went their own ways, others forming alliances with the Persian ruler of the Pontus, Mthridates VI. Those that did join the Persian ruler against the Romans, saw an opportunity to harass their neighbours, and at some point prior to 84 bc, during the first Mithridatic War, the Maedi again raided Macedonia. By this time, however, Macedonia was controlled by the new Roman overlords, and they ensured swift retribution against anybody that threatened their interests. The Maedi paid severely for their raids in Macedonia, and saw their territory ravaged by the Romans under the leadership of their general Sulla. This event coincided with the Roman process of regaining territory that had previously fallen in the hands of Mithridates' local allies, and may also be when Spartacus was captured and enslaved along with his wife, a prophetess that also belonged to the Maedi tribe. The fact that his wife was with him when captured suggests that Spartacus was caught in a vulnerable state at the time and was not militarily prepared, rendering the possibility of his involvement in the more recent raids in Macedonia as unlikely. In any case, the fact remains that at some point both Spartacus and his wife were enslaved, with the fate of the latter remaining unknown. Spartacus himself was sold as a slave to the Roman gladiatorial school in Capua, situated near Mount Vesuvius and owned by Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Batiatus. The school housed approximately 200 slaves who were largely Thracian and Gallic by origin, which ensured that, at the time of the rebellion in 73 BC, there were at least 78 individuals that joined in the rebellion led by Spartacus and the Gallic gladiators Crixus and Oenomaus. Several more slaves and even freemen joined Spartacus as he travelled with his forces through Romans towns, looting their treasures and liberating their slaves, until they reached the relatively safe confines of Mount Vesuvius ([I]Appian, Civil Wards, XIV.[/I] [url]http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Appian/Civil_Wars/1*.html[/url]). Spartacus is likely to have received some sort of formal education in addition to his military training as a Thracian native and a Roman soldier, with descriptions about him forming the image of a tactically intelligent character and accomplished strategist. The following he had gathered along with the cultured image he came to represent earned him the fanciful reference of being more 'Hellenic' than Thracian by the 2nd century AD writer Plutarch, who surely had in mind the same perception as Isocrates did back in the 4th century BC, where the point was clearly made that the name of 'Hellas' was distinctive no longer of race but of intellect, and the title of 'Hellene' a badge of education rather than of common descent ([I]Isocrates, Panegyricus, 50.[/I] [url]http://www.classicpersuasion.org/pw/isocrates/pwisoc4.htm[/url]).

The actions of Spartacus and his followers came to represent an expression of freedom against the oppressive circumstances endured by slaves of all persuasions in Roman society. As the rebellion began to take shape, full of energy and symbolism, the intentions of the rebels began to gain clarity. Spartacus began to contemplate an invasion of Rome itself, which led to a strong response from the Roman army, elevating the movement to legendary status in history. A number of failed attempts to capture the rebels ended with severe defeat for the Romans, unable to match Spartacus' men in military might. These and subsequent battles against the rebels led by Spartacus came to be known as the Third Servile War. Eventually though, facing continual Roman attacks and lacking proper support and resources to sustain themselves and their actions, the movement began to crumble. In the year 71 BC, a ferocious and decisive battle took place between the Roman legions of Crassus and Spartacus' men. Lacking the discipline of seasoned soldiers, the rebels broke ranks and began to scatter and fight in smaller groups, which forced Spartacus to direct all of his forces to face the Roman onslaught head on. Spartacus met his death during this final battle against the Romans. As described by Appian, he was:
[QUOTE][I]............wounded in the thigh with a spear and sank upon his knee, holding his shield in front of him and contending in this way against his assailants until he and the great mass of those with him were surrounded and slain. The Roman loss was about 1000. The body of Spartacus was not found[/I] ([I]Appian, Civil Wards, XIV.[/I] [url]http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Appian/Civil_Wars/1*.html[/url]).[/QUOTE]
The effects of Spartacus' movement were fundamental for Roman society, driving change and initiating the concept of greater rights for slaves in the Roman Republic/Empire. Almost immediately after the event, the Romans appear to have begun treating their slaves much better than before ([I]Davis, Readings in Ancient History, p.90[/I]). However, it would take well over a century for this concept to mature enough in Roman society so that it could manifest itself in the legal system, which is exactly what began to happen during the reign of Emperor Claudius, who decreed that all sick or worn out slaves that were abused by their masters were to be freed, and if any of the masters killed their slaves due to the abovementioned reasons, they would be liable to the charge of murder ([I]Seutonius, Life of Cladius, 25.[/I] [url]http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Claudius*.html#25[/url]).

Spartacus remains a legendary figure in history.

I did not realise he was such a significant person from a Macedonian perspective. I cannot believe the Thracians are afforded such little research by historians. It would appear the lack of written language has confined them to virtual anonymity.

He was a hell of a guy!

Indeed he was RtG, and he also happens to descend from the region where our brothers and sisters in Pirin (eastern Macedonia) have lived for centuries on end. Hopefully more people can come to have an appreciation for this figure and the Maedi tribe of Thrace, and the rich historical heritage of the Pirin region between Struma and Mesta.

I have to agree with RTG on this article. From a Macedonian perspective he was significant. Another great article SoM.

Thanks TM.

If you happen to come across any information regarding Spartacus that hasn't been cited above, please put it up here. I have another couple of sources from Titus Livius which I will add to the article above soon, mainly regarding the Macedonian-Maedi relations.

Very interesting. Well done SoM.

This passage I find fascinating[QUOTE] the title of 'Hellene' a badge of education rather than of common descent (Isocrates, Panegyricus, 50. [url]http://www.classicpersuasion.org/pw/...es/pwisoc4.htm[/url]). [/QUOTE]

A Hellene is someone who is educated. This is worth exploring further. How many other references are there attributing to this fact?

The Bible is a good source for such references, where the epithet of 'Hellene' can mean either non-Jew (Heathen) or cultured/educated (when ranged against barbarians).

Now it means someone who is broke.

That's good. What Good 'Greek Orthodox' Christian would go against the 'Vivlio'? Do you have those references SoM? Let's show these Barbarians they are no Hellene.

[QUOTE=Soldier of Macedon;52533]
The people of Thracian origin constituted the largest element in the overall population of Europe in antiquity ([I]Herodotus, V. & Pausanias, 1, 1, 16.[/I] [url]http://www.macedoniantruth.org/forum/showthread.php?t=960&page=5[/url]), and they lived in the regions that are today known as being overwhelmingly dominated by the Slavic linguistic group, which also happens to be the largest in Europe. Consequently, there is no doubt that the majority of the Thracian people evolved into what are now known as speakers of Slavic languages. [/QUOTE]

As I presented from another thread “the expansion of the Slavic peoples to become the most numerous ethno-cultural group(s) in East Central Europe, the Balkans and Russia by the ninth century AD was also too rapid to be explicable as a natural demographic explosion (Barford 2001: 16; Urbanczyk 2005; 142). ‘The rate of reproduction involved to fill the new territories with descendants of a small original population, no matter how the figures are calculated, is biologically impossible’ (Barford 2001: 46)”. [url]http://www.macedoniantruth.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1228[/url]

Yet during the period the Thracians begin to disappear according to modern writers (though I never quite understood whether they mean the name or the people - strangely its all but never clearly specified). And as we know and as SOM also pointed out the Thracians resided in the same areas of Eastern Europe as the slavic speakers do today. The most important point however is that Thracians generally or perhaps exclusively were known as such because they resided in the region of Thrace, whilst the others who are regarded as belonging to the Thracians and that lived outside the area of Thrace all along from the Balkans to Russia didn’t identify themselves as Thracian (from what I understand please correct if I’m wrong), yet they were related to them. The strange irony to this is that researches, historians or pro-slavists etc. Can’t seem to connect those dots to form some logical conclusion (or even close to it), instead they prefer to state that the Thracians are extinct whilst the Slavs came from ummm, Mars, God :blushing: Thus in conclusion because “Slavs” begin around 6th century it creates the perception that they have no “real” ancient ancestors, thus claiming that they have connections to Thracians, Illyrians, Macedonians etc is noted as ridiculous - strange what happens when a system begins to command history.

By the way good thread SOM.

Oh, and Hollywood should make a new Spartacus movie, I think.

There is a series that was made, watched the first part, I liked it, the actor playing Spartacus is a gun and even looks like a nash choek, but he is now very ill unfortunately so part 2 is on hold at the moment.

Mihail, check the thread called 'Macedonians, Greeks and the New Testament', you'll find some good references there.

[url]http://www.macedoniantruth.org/forum/showthread.php?t=332[/url]

Love his choice of name :p
Was it adopted when he became a gladiator, or prior?

Not sure, haven't come across anything in the texts, but that's not to say it isn't cited, I know in the series I mentioned earlier the name Spartacus was given to the prisoner, who, because of his fighting ability, was named after an ancient Thracian king. It's a Thracian name, kings around the Black Sea used it in other recorded variants like Spardacus and Sparadokos.

Spartan, does the word Sparta have an etymology in Greek?

^^I dont think so, but i dont know for certain either way.

Interesting about the Thracian king. I would have never guessed that this is why he was named thus when considering the Roman 'admiration' of the Spartans and their ways.

[QUOTE=I of Macedon;53143]As I presented from another thread “the expansion of the Slavic peoples to become the most numerous ethno-cultural group(s) in East Central Europe, the Balkans and Russia by the ninth century AD was also too rapid to be explicable as a natural demographic explosion (Barford 2001: 16; Urbanczyk 2005; 142). [B]‘The rate of reproduction involved to fill the new territories with descendants of a small original population, no matter how the figures are calculated, is biologically impossible’ (Barford 2001: 46)”.[/B] [url]http://www.macedoniantruth.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1228[/url]

Yet during the period the Thracians begin to disappear according to modern writers (though I never quite understood whether they mean the name or the people - strangely its all but never clearly specified). And as we know and as SOM also pointed out the Thracians resided in the same areas of Eastern Europe as the slavic speakers do today. The most important point however is that Thracians generally or perhaps exclusively were known as such because they resided in the region of Thrace, whilst the others who are regarded as belonging to the Thracians and that lived outside the area of Thrace all along from the Balkans to Russia didn’t identify themselves as Thracian (from what I understand please correct if I’m wrong), yet they were related to them. The strange irony to this is that researches, historians or pro-slavists etc. Can’t seem to connect those dots to form some logical conclusion (or even close to it), instead they prefer to state that the Thracians are extinct whilst the Slavs came from ummm, Mars, God :blushing: Thus in conclusion because “Slavs” begin around 6th century it creates the perception that they have no “real” ancient ancestors, thus claiming that they have connections to Thracians, Illyrians, Macedonians etc is noted as ridiculous - strange what happens when a system begins to command history.

By the way good thread SOM.

Oh, and Hollywood should make a new Spartacus movie, I think.[/QUOTE]

Barford is lauded by Curta. I think that Barford makes alot sense in the sentence above.

[QUOTE=TrueMacedonian;53199]Barford is lauded by Curta. I think that Barford makes alot sense in the sentence above.[/QUOTE]

The only way it could not make sense, is if archaeologists found a cloning machine that that the "slavs" utilised in and around the 6th century AD. Forgot then about Alexanders body this 'cloning machine' would be the greatest find in all history. :eek1:

rtg proffesor freedman confirmed to me that there are quite a lot of what appear to be thracian inscriptions rotting away in greek prisons oops sorry greek museums but that so far no one has been given access to study them.

he also said there is a real possibility that many more will be found in bulgaria and hopefully historians will be able to at last study these amazing people using sources other than greek and roman

Osiris, there is no doubt that Greece would have numerous Thracian artifacts and inscriptions. The question is what do they have to fear by releasing them to academic institutions for research.

There's no doubt that they're hiding Thracian inscriptions, but they can't hide them forever. Why would they hide them? How would it look to the rest of the world when it is revealed there are more Thracian than Greek inscriptions in the Macedonian part of Greece? It's only a matter of time, something is bound to turn up soon, and they're bound to slip up.

rtg you know as well as i what the neuvo griekenlanders fear most.

the truth

Here's something more about Spartacus' people, the Maedi, and their often hostile 'relations' with Macedonia. The text is from Roman writer Titus Livius (Livy), who lived during the end of the 1st century BC and the beginning of the 1st century AD.
[QUOTE][url]http://www.gutenberg.org/files/10907/10907-h/10907-h.htm[/url]

.........he (Phillip V of Macedon) marched his army into Macedonia, and thence into Thrace and [B]Maedica. This nation had been accustomed to make incursions into Macedonia when they perceived the king engaged in a foreign war, and the kingdom left unprotected.[/B] Accordingly, he began to devastate the lands in the neighbourhood of Phragandae, and to lay siege to the city Jamphorina, the capital and chief fortress of Maedica.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE][url]http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12582/12582-h/12582-h.htm[/url]

Philip received accounts even from his own kingdom, that things were not in a state of tranquillity; that both Scerdilaedus and Pleuratus were in motion, and that some of the Thracians, and [B]particularly the Maedians, would certainly make incursions on the contiguous provinces of Macedonia, should the king be occupied with a distant war[/B].[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Soldier of Macedon;53086]The Bible is a good source for such references, where the epithet of 'Hellene' can mean either non-Jew (Heathen) or cultured/educated (when ranged against barbarians).[/QUOTE]

Indeed, also old German Encylopedia's have a similar view on it!

[quote][590] Griechen, 1) Bewohner von Griechenland, s.d. (Gesch.); 2) im Neuen Testament so v.w. Heiden, weil die meisten heidnischen Völker um Palästina griechisch redeten; 3) (Hellenisten), die außerhalb Judäa wohnenden Juden, die fast alle griechisch redeten, im Gegensatz zu den Nationalgriechen u. jüdischen Proselyten, s.u. Griechische Sprache.[/quote]

Translation by GoogleTr.

[QUOTE]Greeks, 1) residents of Greece, s.d. (GP), 2) in the New Testament might be v.w. Heathen, pagan nations because most talked about Palestine in Greek; 3) (Hellenists), the Jews living outside Judea who spoke almost all Greek, in contrast to the National Jewish proselytes and Greeks, see Greek language.[/QUOTE]

Pierer's Universal-Lexikon, Band 7. Altenburg 1859, page 590
[url]http://www.zeno.org/Pierer-1857/A/Griechen[/url]

more...

[QUOTE][220] [B]Hellenisten, 1) gelehrte Kenner der Griechischen Sprache;[/B] 2) die Juden. in Ägypten, welche seit der Einwanderung nach Ägypten unter Ptolemäos Lagi griechische Bildung empfingen. Aus griechischen u. jüdischen Elementen bildete sich ein. eigner Dialekt, die Hellenistische Sprache (s. Griechische Sprache g), u. eine eigne Philosophie (s. Philosophie).[/QUOTE]


translation
[QUOTE][220] [B]Hellenists, a scholarly) educated speaker of the Greek language[/B], 2) the Jews. in Egypt, who received since the migration to Egypt under Ptolemy Lagi Greek education. From Greek and Jewish elements imagined. own dialect, the Hellenic language (see Greek language grams), and one's own philosophy (see Philosophy).[/QUOTE]

Pierer's Universal-Lexikon, Band 8. Altenburg 1859, S. 220.
[url]http://www.zeno.org/Pierer-1857/A/Hellenisten?hl=hellenisten[/url]

Source: [url]http://www.zeno.org[/url]

Maedi

[url]http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Maedi[/url]

Note that this text reveals a Thracian word.

[quote] The Maedi (also Maidans, Maedans, or Medi),(Ancient Greek,"Μαίδοι") were a Thracian tribe who, in historic times, occupied the area between Paionia and Thrace, on the southwestern fringes of Thrace, along the middle course of the Strymon and the upper course of the Nestus rivers, (present-day south-western Bulgaria). Their capital city was Iamphorynna.

They were an independent tribe through much of their history, and the Thracian king Sitalkes recognized their independence, along with several other warlike "border" tribes such as the Dardani, Agrianes, and Paeonians, whose lands formed a buffer zone between the powers of the Odrysians on the east and of Illyrian tribes in the west, while Macedon was located to the south of Paeonia. The ancient historian and biographer Plutarch describes Spartacus as "a Thracian of nomadic stock", referring to the Maedi. Plutarch also says Spartacus' wife, a prophetess of the same tribe, was enslaved with him.

[B]In 89–84 bc (during the First Mithridatic War), the Maedi overran Macedon, looted Dodona, and sacked Delphi as allies of Mithridates[/B]. It is said that they made a habit of raiding Macedon when a king of Macedon was away on a campaign .Sulla after this ravaged the land of the Maedi. [B]Aristotle recorded that [U]bolinthos[/U] was the [U]Maedan word[/U] for a species of wild Aurochses or Wisents that lived in the region.[/B]

A number of Maedi emigrated to Asia minor and were called MaedoBythini. [/quote]

Have we found our Thracian etymology for Mt, 'Olynthos' the mountain?

Hey SoM. You posted this in another thread.

Maedi

Titus Livius:

[url]http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/txt/ah/Livy/Livy28.html[/url]

[quote] The condition of his own kingdom was far from tranquil; reports were brought to him announcing that Scerdilaedus and Pleuratus were again active and that Thracian tribes, especially the [B]Maedi, were prepared to invade Macedonia as soon as the king was involved in a distant war. [/B][/quote]

[url]http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/txt/ah/Livy/Livy42.html[/url]

[quote] [B]Envoys also from Thrace, with the Maedi and Astii, came to ask for alliance and friendship[/B]. Their request was granted and each received a present of 2000 ases. The Romans were especially glad that these peoples had been received into alliance, because Thrace lay at the back of Macedonia. [/quote]

[url]http://www.macedoniantruth.org/forum/showpost.php?p=52416&postcount=49[/url]

Maedi (Меди) sounds very similar with:

copper - мед (med) in bulgarian

We know Filip have put much efforts to gain controle on the area around Chalkidiki and rivers Struma and Mesta where Maedi were living. This was important because those regions were rich in gold silver and copper mines.
Macedonian shields were made from silver and bronze (shield found in Bonche) consisting primarily of copper.
[U][URL="http://books.google.com/books?id=3gbLeHzK1VAC&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=copper+mines+Macedonian+kings+Thrace&source=bl&ots=vn1tJ4Ybab&sig=auOTbeTKNA8t6ypblikX7T0qXl0&hl=mk&ei=Z9D-S5GaKZHQmgOpnZSSDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CDUQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q&f=false"]In fact, Chalkidiki (Chalcidice) was beffore the setllement of Greeks (700-400 b.c.) populated by Thracians.[/URL] [/U]
Having on mind that Maedians are the closest thracian tribe living around Chalkidiki I could say they were once living there. More inteersting is that "[I]chalkos[/I]" means copper ore.

[url]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2036389/Andy-Whitfield-dead-Spartacus-star-loses-battle-cancer-age-39.html[/url]
[QUOTE]British-born actor Andy Whitfield, star of the TV series Spartacus: Blood and Sand, has died of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, it was confirmed today.

The star, who was born in Amlwch, Wales, but moved to Sydney in 1999, lost his 18-month battle with the disease on a 'sunny Sydney morning in the arms of his loving wife (Vashti),' she said in a statement. The actor, who was 39, was diagnosed with stage 1 of the disease in March 2010, but was declared cancer-free two months later after beginning treatment immediately in New Zealand.

Whitfield was a virtual unknown when he was cast as the legendary Thracian slave in Spartacus, a role made famous by Kirk Douglas in the 1960 Stanley Kubrick film. The series proved a break-out hit for the Starz network and made waves with its graphic violence and sexuality. Whitfield appeared in all 13 episodes of the first season that aired in 2010, and was preparing to shoot the second when he was diagnosed with cancer.

While waiting for Whitfield's treatment and expected recovery, the network produced a six-part prequel, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, that aired earlier this year with only a brief voice-over from the actor.
But in January, after Whitfield's condition grew worse, the network announced that another Australian actor, Liam McIntyre, would take over the role.

McIntyre said at the time: 'Andy’s such a wonderful actor. I don’t want to follow that guy, and everybody hurts that he’s had to give up the role, myself included.' At the same time, Whitfield released his own statement acknowledging the decision: 'It's with a deep sense of disappointment that I must step aside from such an exceptional project as Spartacus and all the wonderful people involved,' he said. 'It seems that it is time for myself and my family to embark on another extraordinary journey.'

Whitfield's previous credits included appearances on the Australian TV shows Packed to the Rafters and McLeod's Daughters. Spartacus director Steve DeKnight took to Twitter to express his pain. 'No words to express the depth of such a loss. You will be deeply missed, my brother,' he wrote.

Spartacus co-star Lucy Lawless said on her website Whitfield was a "gentle man who never had a bad world about anyone".
She went on to say that Whitfield was a brilliant actor and a gifted photographer and engineer.

'Obviously, Andy Whitfield left an indelible mark on all of us in the Spartacus family,' she said. 'Andy's incandescent film presence made men want to be him and women want to marry him. 'Andy's two babies will always know that their Daddy cherished them and their mother, Vashti, above all things. 'How lucky we were to have him grace all our lives.'

Another person who spoke highly of the actor was Starz president and CEO Chris Albrecht who said: 'We were fortunate to have worked with Andy in Spartacus and came to know that the man who played a champion on-screen was also a champion in his own life.

'Andy was an inspiration to all of us as he faced this very personal battle with courage, strength and grace. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time. He will live on in the hearts of his family, friends and fans.'

Whitfield is survived by his wife Vashti and his two children.[/QUOTE]

A damn shame, may he rest in peace, he played the character of Spartacus extremely well. His memory will live on in the Spartacus series.

And he really played the role with style,damn shame.I watched season 1 on our own MTV(finally something worth watching there) and it just blew me away.Nash choek indeed.May he rest in peace.

Have you seen the intermediary series that was made while they waited for Andy Whitfield to recover? That was good also. The new series is OK, have only seen a few episodes, it is not as good as the first one though (at least not so far), but what keeps me watching is knowing how the story develops and waiting for the Thracian and his men to shake Rome to its foundations.

I just downloaded it,it's gonna be on my agenda the following days.As for the sequel with the new actor,I think I'm gonna wait the season to end so I can get the full picture.I did a great mistake with Prison Break's last season,the suspense was too much to handle:)

Rodan the Gladiator
 

I felt this would be the most appropriate thread to share this intriguing photo in that I recently came across of a Roman mosaic (known as the [I]Gladiator Mosaic[/I]) depicting a bunch of gladiators which has been dated to the first half of the 4th century (i.e. 300’s AD). What is intriguing about it is the name of the fallen blond, long-haired gladiator with the very Macedonian sounding name, [B]Rodan[/B]. We know he has been killed by the Greek letter Θ placed next to his name which apparently stood for “Thanatos”, meaning dead. Would it be such a stretch of the imagination if this gladiator turned out to be a Macedonian? We know the Romans used many slaves from the conquered territories to fight as gladiators and Thracians and Macedonians would have featured prominently in these staged fights to the death. They even named a type of gladiator after the Thracians, the Thraex.

[IMG]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Retiarius_vs_secutor_from_Borghese_mosaic.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=Karposh;182865]I felt this would be the most appropriate thread to share this intriguing photo in that I recently came across of a Roman mosaic (known as the [I]Gladiator Mosaic[/I]) depicting a bunch of gladiators which has been dated to the first half of the 4th century (i.e. 300’s AD). What is intriguing about it is the name of the fallen blond, long-haired gladiator with the very Macedonian sounding name, [B]Rodan[/B]. We know he has been killed by the Greek letter Θ placed next to his name which apparently stood for “Thanatos”, meaning dead. Would it be such a stretch of the imagination if this gladiator turned out to be a Macedonian? We know the Romans used many slaves from the conquered territories to fight as gladiators and Thracians and Macedonians would have featured prominently in these staged fights to the death. They even named a type of gladiator after the Thracians, the Thraex.

[IMG]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Retiarius_vs_secutor_from_Borghese_mosaic.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]

That's interesting. I wonder if there is more info on this [I]gladiator mosaic[/I].

After doing some "research" on google I found that Rodan is a Slavonic name related to the adjective native, nativity. Rodán is also described as a Celtic-Gaelic name meaning hearty, lively.

[url]https://themeaningofthename.com/rodan/[/url]
[url]https://www.morebooks.de/store/gb/book/rodan-given-name/isbn/978-613-7-54324-5[/url]
[url]https://www.thenamemeaning.com/rodan/[/url]
[url]https://books.google.ca/books?id=mZt3oGtk1KgC&pg=PA225&dq=Rodan+Gaelic&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwib6pSyjaPpAhWEbc0KHT-nDP8Q6AEIJzAA#v=onepage&q=Rodan%20Gaelic&f=false[/url]



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The ancient historian and biographer [B]Plutarch describes Spartacus as "a Thracian of nomadic stock"[/B], [B]in a possible reference to the Maedi[/B]. [Nic Fields (2009). Spartacus and the Slave War 73-71 BC: A Gladiator Rebels Against Rome. Osprey Publishing. p. 28. ISBN 978-1-84603-353-7.]

A number of Maedi emigrated to Asia minor and were called MaedoBythini: The Cambridge Ancient History, Volume 3, Part 2: The Assyrian and Babylonian Empires and Other States of the Near East, from the Eighth to the Sixth Centuries BC by John Boardman, I. E. S. Edwards, E. Sollberger, and N. G. L. Hammond, ISBN 0-521-22717-8, 1992, page 601: [I][B]"Earlier certain tribes of the Maedi emigrated to Asia minor where they were known by the name of the MaedoBythini..."[/B][/I]


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Since this thread is about Macedonians and Maedi, a Thracian tribe, I thought this should go here:
[url]https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781118878248.ch22[/url]

[B]Thracian and Macedonian Kingship[/B], William S. Greenwalt

"This chapter focuses on elements of a shared royal ideology between the Argeads of Macedonia and at least some of their Thracian counterparts. [B]The Thracians had a significant influence on the early Macedonian ideology of kingship[/B]. Argead kings appeared as heroes necessary for the preservation of the health and well‐being of all of their subjects, just as anecdotal evidence suggests was the prevailing thought among at least some of the Thracian kingdoms."