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Dagan
Dagan2
First appearance S0E01: Past Transgressions
Last appearance S0E06: The Bitter End
Profession Trainee Gladiator (House of Batiatus)
Gladiator (House of Batiatus)
Race Assyrian
Relationships Titus Lentulus Batiatus (Dominus, deceased)
Quintus Lentulus Batiatus (Dominus, deceased)
Ulpius (Former Doctore, deceased)
Oenomaus (Rival/Doctore, deceased)
Crixus (Friend/Rival, deceased)
Ashur (Former Friend/Enemy, deceased)
Indus (Friend, deceased)
Rhaskos (Friend, deceased)
Duratius (Friend, deceased)
Auctus (Enemy, deceased)
Barca (Enemy, deceased)
Status Deceased (Killed by Ashur)
Actor/Actress Shane Rangi

Dagan is an Assyrian slave who, along with Indus, Ashur and Crixus, was bought during the rise of Gannicus. He appears exclusively in Spartacus: Gods of the Arena.

Appearance[]

Dagan is a large and dark skinned Assyrian. He stands as tall as Barca and has a more intimidating frame. His head is shaved of all but the small beard on his chin which is tied in two. His size has occasionally dubbed him as a "giant".

Personality[]

Unlike Ashur, he speaks almost exclusively in his native tongue (Aramaic), and frequently speaks insults to people's faces, which Ashur loosely translates. He constantly insults Crixus for being small in size, and referred to Rhaskos as "the tiny hairless man" when the latter stood up for him to Ashur. Despite his coarse attitude and harsh words, he still forms bonds with others, and is capable of compassion, even when someone has wronged him. He nearly started a fight with Barca and the other gladiators when they laughed about Indus being sent to the mines, he acknowledged and briefly consoled Ashur when the latter was distraught over having to kill Indus, exhibits sympathy for Crixus when it seems he is about to be killed by Gannicus, and even allows Ashur to finish the fight on his feet, even after Dagan had been raped by a Roman because of him. He shows talent of being able to pick up other languages with time, which ends up in him getting infuriated with Ashur, his one companion in the ludus, who he discovers has been deceiving him. Quick to anger, Dagan is very confrontational and lacks fear of those claiming to be his better, and will also stand up for his friends.

Combat Prowess[]

Dagan shows average skill in combat, and favors sword and shield. Dagan's strength is his main weapon in battle as he stands stronger than most, favoring brute force as opposed to wit which he uses in unarmed techniques. Despite this, however, Dagan proves himself a fierce combatant with an impressive improvement rate.

Gods of the Arena[]

Dagan is a Assyrian slave and came into Batiatus' Ludus at the same time as Ashur, a fellow Assyrian. They, along with Indus and later Crixus, train as recruits before they are allowed to take the test to be entered into the Brotherhood, experiencing the grueling routines of new recruits. When Crixus joins the other recruits, Dagan enjoys insulting him in his native tongue, and Ashur mockingly translates this into what Crixus takes to be friendly banter.

Dagan, Indus and Ashur are given specific orders by Batiatus when he needs a group of thugs to carry out his will. He uses the three recruits because they do not yet bear his mark, and if his plan is to fail, he will not be connected to the crime. Indus lures Vettius into a side alley and the three of them kill the man's slaves and then beat Vettius. When

Dagan

Dagan as a Gladiator.

Vettius is unable to stand, Dagan urinates on his face, mimicking Tullius' treatment of Batiatus and sending a clear warning. Because of their success, Dagan and Ashur (and originally Indus as well, before he revealed himself to Vettius and was silenced), are not made gladiators via the test of the brotherhood. Instead, Doctore is forced, against his will, to brand both the men for their deeds, even though they have not yet proved themselves to be worthy gladiators.

The two are still mocked despite baring the mark which the other gladiators deem as an insult because they did not take the test. The two eventually start a fight with Barca and Auctus which ensues into a major brawl between many gladiators.

Ashur, in order to look out for himself, would later make Dagan have sex with a Roman noble. Dagan would begin to learn the common tongue and discover that Ashur has been deceiving him the entire time and threatens to kill him soon enough. Dagan becomes more respected amongst other gladiators for his skill while Ashur continues to hold none.

Daganeye

Ashur taking one of Dagan's eyes.

Dagan would get his chance to beat Ashur during a contest of skill. Dagan initially has the upper hand, but allows his former friend a brief rest. Ashur reveals this again as another act of deceit as he presses advantage and defeats Dagan, and removing his right eye.

Dagann

Dagan is one-eyed.

As he lost his eye, Dagan is to be sold to the mines, however, this order is overruled by Batiatus following his father's death. Hearing this, Dagan gives a menacing grin to Ashur as he now has an opportunity of vengeance

When Batiatus moves against Tullius, Dagan and another are at the arena digging an opening. When Batiatus and the others arrive with Tullius, Dagan gives his Dominus the ashes of Titus and holds Tullius down as Batiatus shoves the ashes into Tullius' mouth. Dagan then holds Tullius in the opening he helps dig out as they begin to bury him in the arena, forever removing the Roman from this world.

Dagandeath

Dagan, killed by Ashur.


During the opening games of the arena, Dagan participates as one of the fighters for the House of Batiatus. He fights his way through and gains a position in the primus, though his sole intent is only killing Ashur. Though he manages to defeat several others he jumps at Ashur wanting revenge and to prove himself the better gladiator. The fight is fierce between the two former allies, but Ashur eventually prevails in the fight, killing Dagan.

Trivia[]

  • Shane Rangi, the actor who plays Dagan, is 195cm (6'5") tall and weighs 106kg (233lbs).
    • Shane Rangi is also a stuntman, who played the Mumakil Rider in Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
  • Dagan only speaks Aramaic, but has shown the ability to adapt to a new language.
    • Despite not yet understanding the language, Dagan takes offense when Barca insult the recruits by saying "Ah, your numbers shrink... like frightened cock!" though he most likely reacted to the tone of Barca's voice.
  • Historically, most if not all Gladiators would have arrived at a Ludus with at least some fluency in Latin, as it was needed to train as a Gladiator.
  • Even after having been blinded in one eye by Ashur in the training competition he is still seen having much skill in fighting, as seen in the Games of the New Arena, where he defeats several opponents despite his handicap.
  • Oenomaus warned Batiatus that Dagan's visual handicap would make him vulnerable to attack from his right side. When Ashur kills Dagan in the arena, the killing blow comes only after Dagan exposes his right side to Ashur.
  • His fighting class is Murmillo, as seen by his sword and large oval shield.
  • Although frequently referred to in the show as "Syrian", Dagan would in fact - historically - be Assyrian.
  • Although stabbed by Ashur in the opening games, Dagan was the subject of much speculation that he had survived and would appear in the second season (mostly as Barca fully recovers from a similar abdominal wound sustained in the same episode). However, Dagan does not appear in Vengeance and by now it can be safely assumed that he did indeed die.
  • Dagan may have been the largest character of the series that was left out of the Series Closing Credits
  • Dagan, like Ashur, may come from one of the more predominantly Aramaic-speaking regions in the Near East, such as Coele Syria, which contains the city of Damascus, or the then Parthian-governed province of Athura (Assyria) along the Euphrates.
  • Dagan may be named for Dagon, an ancient Middle Eastern fertility god who was widely worshiped among the Akkadians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Amorites, Phoenicians and possibly the Philistines as well.

Quotes[]

"Now it is your ass that's fucked."
Dagan to Ashur

"The tiny hairless man speaks the truth, you are shit without me."
Dagan to Ashur

"Fucking cock eaters, they think themselves gods."
Dagan (About Auctus and Barca)

"Fucking dwarf, barely tall enough to suck my cock."
Dagan (About Crixus)

(After Diona's Execution) Ashur: "Pity, to lose one so fetching"
Dagan: "Soon you join. Cunt."

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