Ashur's Group is a team of mercenary assassins lead by Ashur, serving as Praetor Glaber's personal "hit squad" and "wetworks" crew. They serve as the main antagonists throughout the second-half of Vengeance, particularly towards the Rebel Leaders.
Though Ashur is the leader, he may arguably be the weakest fighter within the group. He is, however, by far the most cunning and intelligent. All of the members are skilled fighters, matching even the best of the rebels.
According to Ashur, each member of the group were to be the first recruits in his planned ludus. Because they are a group of mercenaries, however, their allegiance can be easily swayed, as was seen in the episode Wrath of the Gods. It should be noted that the group turned on Ashur right before they were to swear oaths of loyalty to him.
As of Wrath of the Gods, all the members of the group have been slain.
Vengeance[]
First suggested by Ashur, Glaber was initially reluctant to resort to mercenaries for his purposes, but came to realize that such an unsavory asset could be useful. He instructed Ashur to put together the team, which comprises some of the darkest and most terrifying men inCapua.
Ashur starts by visiting the Capua brothel and recruits Abrax. After collecting other dangerous men: Danus, Fimbria and Nileus, he and his group move towards a prison area where he recruits their most dangerous member, The Egyptian. In order to prove themselves to Glaber, they take part in slaughtering all the inhabitants, guards and slaves alike, in Seppius' house, and ultimately approved by Glaber as his personal henchmen.
Abrax is sent to spy on Gannicus as Glaber attempts to recruit him into his ranks. However, Gannicus makes a different decision by capturing Glaber's wife, Ilithyia, and killing Abrax.
When Glaber meets in negotiations with Spartacus in the exchange of armor and weapons for Ilithyia, the mercenaries are hidden within the carriage Glaber brought and the true skill of the mercenaries is shown as they match against the rebel leaders. The Egyptian is able to best Crixus,
Ashur and his Group in the carriage.
Danus, Fimbria and Nileus face Agron and Gannicus while Glaber, Salvius and Octavius Tarsus face Spartacus. When Glaber is on the losing side, as a result of rebel archers, Mira and Lucius Caelius, he sounds for a contingement of Roman troops. Though the rebels escape, Lucius Caelius is killed by The Egyptian.
Soon, the mercenaries join Glaber and his army in besieging the Vesuvius Temple. The mercenaries prove to be a valuable asset, cutting down many rebels with The Egyptian even dealing a devastating blow to Oenomaus. Glaber and his forces, with aid of the mercenaries, successfully put the rebels on retreat and claim the temple as their own.
Ashur and The Egyptian move to relieve Salvius from his post. Tensions between the soldiers and mercenaries are evident in this conversation, however, the rebels lead an uncoordinated attack on them. The rebels retreat, but may have been able to have taken the foot of the mountain had Ashur and The Egyptian not been there.
As the mercenaries remain in the temple for orders to attack, Ashur expresses the bond the mercenaries share and that when he becomes a Lanista he would welcome them all into his ludus as his first recruits. Before he goes into detail about how he requires only an oath of allegiance, they are interupted by the arrival of Lucretia and Ilithyia. Following their departure, Glaber comes out of the temple and expresses anger towards Ashur (Who had been made to appear a traitor due to a story put together by Lucretia and Ilithyia). The mercenaries are quick to defend Ashur at first until Glaber makes them a better offer. They turn on Ashur and the former leader is sent to the rebels where he is killed.
When the final battle between the rebels and Glaber's army occurs, the mercenaries move to the frontlines. However, the rebels have clear advantage in their flanking maneuvers and strategy. This results in Gannicus killing both Danus and The Egyptian (albeit with the loss of Oenomaus), Nileus being killed by the rebels and Fimbria killed by Spartacus as he tries to defend Glaber.
Members[]
- Claudius Glaber - Employer and Dominus of the group. A Roman Praetor. He is killed by Spartacus.
- Ashur - Leader of the group, he gives them orders from Glaber. A former gladiator of Batiatus' ludus. He is killed by Naevia.
- The Egyptian - An ex-convict who killed his fellow prisoners; a highly skilled fighter with twin daggers and a resistance to pain. He is the strongest of the group and is the only one to go up against the four champions of the House of Batiatus. He is killed by Gannicus moments after killing Oenomaus.
Ashur's Group.
- Abrax - The first man recruited, and a brutal, tattooed brawler. He is killed by Gannicus.
- Fimbria - A bald man of bulky build with tattoos on his right arm; he fights with a single sickle, with which he is considerably skilled. He is killed by Spartacus.
- Danus - A lean, untidy and bearded man with hemangioma on half of his face, he seems to prefer sword in combat and was seen to snap a struggling slave's neck with ease. He is killed by Gannicus.
- Nileus - A Syrian of muscular build who wears chainmail headpiece; he has a sadistic, beast-like gaze and a vicious sword fighting style. He is killed by the rebels.
Trivia[]
- Gannicus is responsible for killing half of the group (so long as Glaber does not count), and is the only rebel to have engaged in combat with all the mercenaries.
- With the exception of The Egyptian, who only spoke a few lines to Ashur, the group of mercenaries never speak in any of their appearances.
- In the DVD commentary for the episode Wrath of the Gods, Steven S. DeKnight mentioned that he speculated on the idea of creating a spin-off series from Spartacus which would feature the House of Ashur, as the character in question was ambitious to inherit Batiatus' ludus and use his group of assasins as his own stable of gladiators.
- The Latin term for a group of assassins would be Sicarii, meaning "dagger men".