| 'Recruit 4' | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| First appearance | S1E08: Mark of the Brotherhood | |
| Last appearance | S1E08: Mark of the Brotherhood | |
| Profession | Trainee Gladiator (House of Batiatus) | |
| Race | Sardinian | |
| Relationships | None | |
| Status | Deceased (Killed by Segovax) | |
| Actor/Actress | Steven Smith | |
Recruit 4 is a slave purchased by Quintus Lentulus Batiatus to become a gladiator.
Appearance[]
He has dark skin and facial hair, and sports a rather muscular build, though not quite as impressive when compared to others in the ludus.
Personality[]
Dedicated to the goal of becoming a champion of the arena, he seems to be an honorable man with clear aspirations of freedom.
Blood and Sand[]
He is one of six recruits Battiatus purchased at auction from the slave trader Trebius, in a lot that included Segovax, Duro and Agron. Oenomaus notably comments that he considers only Segovax and the German brothers as potential gladiators, with the others (including 'Recruit 4') as mere fodder.
Later, at the ludus, he is knocked to the floor by Crixus when he attempts to eat before the fu
lly-fledged gladiators. However, he is defended by Spartacus and bears witness to the Champion establishing his rank as leader aming the gladiators.
He speaks up when Segovax argues Spartacus' worth in the arena when the brothers Duro and Agron ridicule the latter. He agrees with Segovax that Spartacus ignites the crowd and exclaims that he too "will become legend in the arena."
The scene following his heartfelt speech shows 'Recruit 4' being dominated in a spar with Segovax. In an attempt to impress Spartacus with his skills, Segovax assaults 'Recruit 4' and slams him against the ludus wall, where he is accidentally impaled through the neck by a protruding sharp peg, and killed instantly.
His body is later seen laid out in the Medicus' quarters.
Trivia[]
- He talks about how he witnessed a gladiator winning his freedom in the arena, possibly referring to the freeing of Gannicus in The Bitter End. This is made more likely as, in season two, Publius Varinius states that Gannicus is the only gladiator in Capua to have earned his freedom upon the sands.
- 'Recruit 4' at least has a longer gladiator career than the even more unlucky 'Unnamed Trainee', who dies within minutes of his arrival at the ludus in another training accident.
- 'Recruit 4', though a Sardinian, appears to have African origins. He may be descended from North African settlers in Sardinia when Carthage still ruled the island until after the First Punic War, less than two hundred years prior to the Third Servile War.
Quotes[]
"Segovax is right, Spartacus shows us the way. I will train as he trains, every thrust encountered committed to memory. And one day, I too will become legend in the arena."<br\/>―Recruit