Spartacus (film) eclipse him. Gracchus, having seen Rome fall into tyranny, commits suicide. Before doing so, he bribes his friend Batiatus to rescue Spartacus's family from Crassus and carry them away to freedom. On the way out of Rome, the group passes under Spartacus's cross. Varinia is able to comfort him in his dying moments by showing him his little son, who will grow up free and knowing who his father was. The development of "Spartacus" was partly instigated by Kirk Douglas's failure to win the title role in William Wyler's "Ben-Hur". Douglas had worked with Wyler before on "Detective Story", and
Spartacus: Vengeance set for January 27, 2012. Spartacus: Vengeance Spartacus: Vengeance is the second season of the American television series "Spartacus", a Starz television series, which follows "". It premiered on January 27, and concluded on March 30, 2012. Its story follows Spartacus (played by Liam McIntyre, who replaces the late Andy Whitfield), after he and his fellow gladiators kill their master Batiatus and escape from his "ludus", or gladiatorial training school. Cast members and characters who return from the first season include Lucy Lawless as Lucretia, Peter Mensah as Oenomaus, Manu Bennett as Crixus, Dan Feuerriegel as Agron, Nick E. Tarabay