Spartacus - Crisis in the Roman Republic 80-71 B.C.

It is 80 BC. The Roman Republic is poised for a new era! Sulla, as Dictator, has ousted the Marians, returned power to the Senate, and worked—in his own brutal way—to restore the Republic to its former glory. But his “reforms” have resulted in violence rather than peace, and rebellion has become the watchword of the times.

First off the mark is Sertorius, invited to western Spain by the Lusitanians to be their general and fight against the repression and plunder the Republican forces had been subjecting them to. An outlaw because of his defiance of Sulla, Sertorius lands on the Spanish peninsula, planting the Marian Standard. With an army of Exiles and with Spanish tribesman flocking to the cause, and known among the tribes as “the new Hannibal”, Sertorius leads the Spanish into a war that would wage for ten years.

Next up is the consul Lepidus, whose opposition to the Senate is so strong that in 77 BC he raises an army in Northern Italy and marches towards Rome. He is defeated by the young, ambitious Pompey, but the Republic feels the effects of his treachery.

Six years later, Sertorius cements a treaty with the king of Pontus, Mithradates VI, who rises up in Asia Minor opening a second theatre of war, further stretching the Romans. Not long afterwards, with instability at near breaking point both at home and abroad, Rome suffers the ultimate insult: a slave revolt, led by the upstart gladiator, Spartacus!

Rome is pressed on every side with Sertorius running amok in Spain, Mithradates VI rising up in Asia, and Spartacus causing insurrection in the foothills of Vesuvius. Will the mighty Republic fight off these multiple threats or will it be torn asunder as it spirals toward anarchy?

This epic period of Roman crisis comes to life in SPARTACUS: Crisis in the Roman Republic! Spartacus is a two-player, card-driven game, pitting the multiple threat Sertorians against the might of the Roman Republic. This turbulent situation is played out on a beautifully rendered, point-to-point map covering Spain, Gaul, Italy and Asia. The goal of the Sertorian player is to either occupy Rome, or cause the Empire to plunge into anarchy. The Roman player must prevent both of these events both militarily and by managing the crisis.

Components

• 1 map - 22" x 34"
• 1 rules booklet
• 110 cards
• 2 countersheets

Game Data:

• Complexity: Moderate
• Playing Time: 3-5 hours
• Solitaire Suitability: Fair (due to card-driven dynamic)