Tristan Hughes

So that episode from Odysseus, the Scylla and Cryptus, is the Strait of Messina.

And they've had precedent for it because the Greek tyrant of Syracuse, Dionysius, I think he did something similar.

He built a wall across that area.

So people had done that before.

And how that all links up is that Pompey, the later Pompey the Great, had been fighting Sertorius, the potential ally in Spain, and coming back from that.

So it all kind of links up.

It all links up.

An ovatio, that's where we get ovation from today?

Yes, yeah, ovation, yeah.

So it sounds like then there's no real I'm Spartacus moment, although it's still a testament to, you know, the fact that how charismatic he must have been, how it all fell apart when he died.

But for the people that aren't killed, for the slaves, for the rebels that don't die at that battle or in the aftermath, and have the misfortune of being taken alive by the Romans, what is their ultimate fate?

You have so brilliantly retold this story that I know you delve into so much detail about what you've created in your novels.

What do you think then was the ultimate significance of the revolt of Spartacus?

It sounds like the Romans quite harshly, but they do learn their lessons from it.

So that's not the reason why he went back south rather than going back to

Ben, this has been absolutely fantastic.

Last but certainly not least, you have written a couple of books that talks through the story of Spartacus.

Well, as you've explained throughout this episode, this story is full of amazing tales that, you know, for a writer like yourself, it must be amazing to bring to life.

So I'm sure they're brilliant reads and you can buy them wherever, you know, all good bookshops and online and everything as well.

Ben, it just goes to me to say once again, thank you so much for taking the time to come back on the podcast.