Drenis

Drenis
First appearance	S1E01: The Red Serpent
Last appearance	S1E01: The Red Serpent
Profession	Thracian Soldier
Race	Thracian
Relationships	Spartacus (Comrade/Friend, deceased) Byzo (Comrade, deceased) Thracian elder (Comrade, deceased) Gaius Claudius Glaber (Legatus, deceased)
Status	Deceased (Killed by Arkadios)
Actor/Actress	Kyle Rowling

Drenis is a Thracian warrior who fought alongside Spartacus for Claudius Glaber and the Romans.

Appearance

Drenis is a brutish man with long, greasy black hair occupying a thick, unkempt beard. He trades thin and fit for muscle, showing in his belly that he feasts well on the spoils of war. His typical battle attire is that of a Thracian helmet and customly built to fit his style.

Personality

Drenis's loyalty falls heavily with his country of Thrace, as such he would only obey the Romans if it brought him blood and triumph over his enemies, specifically the Getae for their raping of their women and destruction to their villages. He is not fooled by acts of hospitality on the Roman's part, realizing that the Thracians are left with mere scraps from the spoils of war. This causes him conflict against a man who initiated their cause- Spartacus (as he would later become known as) rises an argument out of Drenis that leads to a brawl, though the two later strike up a friendship as their sense of brotherhood increases. As bloody as their brawl was, Drenis is still quick to forgive in his own style, with a smirk and even a joke about meeting one another in the afterlife to continue their little squabble. As with other men throughout history, a fight can create friends...and soon enough Drenis had spent many days under the command of the Romans by Spartacus's side. He continued making cocky remarks, often cursing them with a profound tongue as well as the Roman gods themselves. Drenis had a reputation as a thief, which he confirmed by stealing a bottle of Glaber's wine after the latter insulted him- he even takes pride in the fact that he could steal something from a Roman so easily!

Blood and Sand

As the story unfolds, the Thracian captive is held in a dungeon until called upon to appear outside. It is revealed that this Thracian is actually in the arena of gladiatorial games in Capua, for the enjoyment of Senator Albinius, and the people of Capua. Drenis, another thracian prisoner, who's name is not yet known, is forced to fight a gladiator Arkadios, one of many gladiators owned by Marcus Decius Solonius. Drenis fights with the heart of a lion but is at a disadvantage...in the meanwhile, the other captive (to be known later as Spartacus) begins to have flashbacks of his past and how he ended up there.

In this flashback, Drenis appears during a meeting with Claudius Glaber and his soldiers from Rome. He along with many of his Thracian comrades dispute the Roman's cause for calling upon their aide in taking on the G

Drenis fighting with Getae.

reeks. At first an older Thracian man acts as the voice for his people, speaking as a middle ground between the opposition of his fellow warriors and the Romans standing before them. When his words go nowhere, Spartacus steps forth speaking to get the Romans attention. After some time, Spartacus convinces Glaber to accept their cause in eliminating all of the Getae who would take advantage of the Greek and Roman battle to attack Thrace's villages.

Drenis fights during a battle with Getae savages, alongside Spartacus, Byzo and the older man from the meeting beforehand. The older man falls in the line of battle while Drenis and the others push back the advancing Getae, with the Romans appearing to further push back their advancement. Drenis comments how it took them far too long but continues fighting as he calls the retreating Getae cowards.

Later that night in camp, he and Byzo have an argument over the quality of food delivered to them from the spoils of war to which Drenis considers them treated as common dogs while the Romans enjoy feasts fit for a king. Spartacus speaks up once more to challenge Drenis's thoughts, which leads to a conflict between both of them resulting in Drenis insulting Spartacus' wife Sura and Spartacus replying with a punch that leads them both into a brawl. The brawl is ended when the Romans arrive to order both men to run a scouting party on the Getae's position, which both agree to. Surprisingly, they forgive one another in a brotherly sense, joking about continuing their fight another time.

Both men manage to scout out the Getae camp, which could be destroyed if the Romans agreed to advance

Drenis in Glaber's tent.

on the camp within the next few days. Spartacus and Drenis arrive at the tent for Glaber, telling him of their news only to be told to leave rather than finish their report. Spartacus presses the matter (and believes that he finally convinced Glaber) before both men leave the tent. Drenis smirks as they walk away, revealing that he stole a bottle of Glaber's wine (presented to him by Ilithyia as a gift) and both drink it that night, which causes Drenis to pass out for a long duration. The following morning, the Romans sound signal to awaken and Spartacus forces the drunken Drenis (whom curses for having to wake up) to get up as well. They believe themselves ready to march on the Getae. When Byzo reveals otherwise, Spartacus questions Glaber of their decision upon his arrival. Glaber reveals that

Drenis, Spartacus and the other Thracians defy Glaber's orders.

instead they will attack the Greeks, wishing not to lose chance of an advantage. He orders them to ready themselves for battle, which leaves Spartacus the leader...choosing between following orders as Byzo suggested or defying them as Drenis would have. When he chooses to defy orders, Spartacus grabs the tassel of the horse Glaber is riding which forces Glaber to fall into the mud (rendered unconscious), while Drenis takes to the fight and kills a Roman or two. At last second, a Roman attempts escape and Drenis tells Spartacus to throw a spear, trying to snap him out of some daze to the events that occurred around him. Eventually he follows suit and kills the Roman from a distance, choosing then to leave Glaber in the mud while Byzo curses the both of them for damning them all. Drenis on the other hand congratulates Spartacus for following suit and goes about his way, leaving Spartacus to return home- and find the Getae destroying it.

When Spartacus is next captured by Glaber and his men, he meets up with Drenis once again aboard a vessel heading to Capua as slaves. Drenis smirks, thinking Spartacus had been dead (as he has been out for many days) and Byzo sits next to Spartacus, still cursing them both for damning them to this life. When the boat arrives in Capua, all of the men are escorted into a noble's villa where they are displayed for execution (six men, including Byzo and Spartacus with Drenis...the three others being Thracian as well) while famous gladiators such as Barca and Crixus are displayed for show. Byzo makes a comment on the pleasures they see, to which Drenis replies to take it all in... as this is the last they will see of anything this glorious (knowing of their execution). Spartacus snaps out of his flashback, to be carried to the gate above where Byzo and the other Thracian prisoners were already executed, and Drenis still fighting beyond the bars.

Drenis death by Arkadios.

Drenis continues to lose his battle against the Arkadios, having cuts across most of his body especially a fatal one on his abdomen. He is forced to turn around due to a wound and spots Spartacus, to where he smirks one final time and begins to laugh, in his own way bidding farewell to his fellow warrior. He then turns around to face Arkadios, only to have his throat slit by a powerful stroke of the sword. In his final moments, Drenis turns to see Spartacus for a final time, dying as he hits the ground. He is then carried away, and Spartacus is sent in to fight off not just Arkadios, but three other gladiators as well. For Drenis and Sura, Spartacus slays each one, and due to this victory, eventually goes on to become the greatest champion of Capua.

Trivia

• Kyle Rowling, the actor who played Drenis is 188cm (6'2") tall and weighed 95kg  (209 lbs).
• Drenis would have been a member of the Thracian Maedi tribe, like Spartacus, as they fought in the same unit together.
• Drenis' name is also the Thracian word for a 'deer'

Quotes

(While fighting the Getae) I'll fuck your women! I'll fuck them all!

• "Good of you to join us, thought you were dead for a while."

-to Spartacus

References

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