Spartacus (miniseries)

Spartacus is a 2004 North American miniseries directed by Robert Dornhelm and produced by Ted Kurdyla from a teleplay by Robert Schenkkan. It aired over two nights on the USA Network, and stars Goran Visnjic, Alan Bates (in his final television appearance), Angus Macfadyen, Rhona Mitra, Ian McNeice, Ross Kemp and Ben Cross. It is based on the 1951 novel of the same name by Howard Fast.

Spartacus
UK Region 2 DVD cover
Genre	Drama Action
Based on	Spartacus 1951 novel by Howard Fast
Written by	Teleplay:' Robert Schenkkan
Directed by	Robert Dornhelm
Starring	Goran Visnjic Alan Bates Angus Macfadyen Rhona Mitra Ian McNeice Ross Kemp Ben Cross
Theme music composer	Randy Miller
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of episodes	2
Production
Producer	Ted Kurdyla
Cinematography	Kees Van Oostrum
Editors	Mark Conte Victor Du Bois Cindy Mollo
Running time	171 minutes
Release
Original network	USA Network
Original release	April 18, 2004 (2004-04-18)

The plot, setting, and costumes are nearly identical to those of Stanley Kubrick's 1960 version; however, this adaptation follows Howard Fast's novel more closely than does Kubrick's film. (Two of the more noticeable omissions from the new adaptation are the "I am Spartacus!" scene and the reunion of Spartacus and his wife after the battle.) The miniseries is shown as a story a woman narrates to her son, who are later revealed to be Spartacus' wife and son.

A notable piece of dramatic license has Spartacus' son born exactly at the moment Spartacus dies in battle. As Marcus Crassus and Pompey Magnus are being proclaimed co-consuls, the announcer calls Rome an Empire, when it was still a Republic at the time. However, in contemporary Latin, the meaning of “Imperium“, empire, just meant area where one exercises power.