Spaco, the name of Cyrus. Justin, bk. 1, ch. 4.—Herodotus.
Sparta, a celebrated city of Peloponnesus, the capital of Laconia, situate on the Eurotas, at the distance of about 30 miles from its mouth. It received its name from Sparta the daughter of Eurotas, who married Lacedæmon. It was also called Lacedæmon. See: [Lacedæmon].
Spartăcus, a king of Pontus.——Another, king of Bosphorus, who died B.C. 433. His son and successor of the same name died B.C. 407.——Another, who died 284 B.C.——A Thracian shepherd, celebrated for his abilities and the victories which he obtained over the Romans. Being one of the gladiators who were kept at Capua in the house of Lentulus, he escaped from the place of his confinement, with 30 of his companions, and took up arms against the Romans. He soon found himself with 10,000 men equally resolute with himself, and though at first obliged to hide himself in the woods and solitary retreats of Campania, he soon laid waste the country; and when his followers were increased by additional numbers, and better disciplined, and more completely armed, he attacked the Roman generals in the field of battle. Two consuls and other officers were defeated with much loss, and Spartacus, superior in counsel and abilities, appeared more terrible, though often deserted by his fickle attendants. Crassus was sent against him, but this celebrated general at first despaired of success. A bloody battle was fought, in which, at last, the gladiators were defeated. Spartacus [♦]behaved with great valour: when wounded in the leg, he fought on his knees, covering himself with his buckler in one hand, and using his sword with the other; and when at last he fell, he fell upon a heap of Romans, whom he had sacrificed to his fury, B.C. 71. In this battle no less than 40,000 of the rebels were slain, and the war totally finished. Florus, bk. 3, ch. 20.—Livy, bk. 95.—Eutropius, bk. 6, ch. 2.—Plutarch, Crassus.—Paterculus, bk. 2, ch. 30.—Appian.
[♦] ‘bahaved’ replaced with ‘behaved’
Spartæ, or Sparti, a name given to those men who sprang from the dragon’s teeth which Cadmus sowed. They all destroyed one another, except five, who survived and assisted Cadmus in building Thebes.
Spartāni, or Spartiātæ, the inhabitants of Sparta. See: [Sparta], [Lacedæmon].
Spartiānus Ælius, a Latin historian who wrote the lives of all the Roman emperors, from Julius Cæsar to Diocletian. He dedicated them to Diocletian, to whom, according to some, he was related. Of these compositions only the life of Adrian, Verus, Didius Julianus, Septimus Severus, Caracalla, and Geta, are extant, published among the Scriptores Historiæ Augustæ. Spartianus is not esteemed as an historian or biographer.
Spechia, an ancient name of the island of Cyprus.
Spendius, a Campanian deserter who rebelled against the Romans and raised tumults, and made war against Amilcar the Carthaginian general.
Spendon, a poet of Lacedæmon.