Ben Kane's brilliant novel begins in the Thracian village to which Spartacus has returned, after escaping from life as an auxiliary in the Roman army. But here he quickly falls foul of his overlord, the Thracian king, who has set his heart on Dionysian priestess, Ariadne, who later is to marry Spartacus. Betrayed again to the Romans by his jealous king, Spartacus and Ariadne are taken captive to the school of gladiators at Capua.

Against the unbelievable brutality of gladiatorial life, Spartacus and Crixus the Gaul plan the audacious overthrow of their Roman masters, escaping to Vesuvius, where they recruit and train a huge slave army - an army that will keep the might of Rome at bay for two years and create one of the most extraordinary legends in history.