For the Prequel episode list, see List of Episodes in Prequel.

Spartacus: Gods of the Arena is the second installment in the Spartacus series, and the six episode prequel to Blood and Sand. It premiered on January 21, 2011 on Starz. As season two had to be delayed due to Andy Whitfield's treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a prequel to the series was planned to fill in the time until September, when season two was scheduled to begin filming.^[1] The story centers around Batiatus and Lucretia and the rise of the House of Batiatus prior to Spartacus' arrival, seeing returns from many of the gladiators as well, including Doctore, Crixus and Barca amongst others.^[2] The show introduces the gladiator Gannicus, and his rise to fame under Batiatus' hand. It concluded on February 25, 2011.

Cast and charactersEdit

Gladiators of the House of BatiatusEdit

• Peter Mensah as Oenomaus/Doctore – a Numidian gladiator who later becomes the House of Batiatus' Doctore (gladiator trainer).
• Dustin Clare as Gannicus – a Celtic gladiator of the Batiatus' ludus and rising star in the world of gladiators.
• Manu Bennett as Crixus – a Gaul trainee gladiator with the burning desire to become the greatest champion in the world of gladiators.
• Nick Tarabay as Ashur – a Syrian trainee gladiator.
• Antonio Te Maioha as Barca – a veteran gladiator in the ludus who is famously known as "The Beast of Carthage".
• Shane Rangi as Dagan – a Syrian trainee gladiator.
• Raicho Vasilev as Gnaeus – a Dacian and minor gladiator in the ludus who later rises in skill and prominence after changing his fighting style.
• Josef Brown as Auctus – a Greek veteran gladiator in the ludus.
• Temuera Morrison as Doctore – Oenomaus' predecessor as the House of Batiatus' gladiator trainer.
• Vincent Roxburgh as Duratius – an Egyptian gladiator in the ludus.
• Ioane King as Rhaskos – a Gaul gladiator in the ludus.
• Steven A. Davis as Indus – a Macedonian trainee gladiator.
• Graham Vincent as Pollux – a Numidian gladiator in the ludus.
• Renato Gomez as Lydon – a Hispanic gladiator in the ludus.
• Nathan O'Hearn as Fulco  – a Celtic gladiator in the ludus.
• Jade Haigh as Plenus – a Greek gladiator in the ludus.
• Fortune Shumba as Ortius – a Numidian gladiator in the ludus.
• Levi Holley as Leviticus – a Judean gladiator in the ludus.
• James Cook as Narto – a Roman gladiator in the ludus.

RomansEdit

• John Hannah as Quintus Lentulus Batiatus - a Roman Lanista who is trying to make his mark on the world.
• Lucy Lawless as Lucretia – Domina of the house and Quintus' wife.
• Jeffrey Thomas as Titus Batiatus – Quintus Batiatus' father and owner of the family's ludus.
• Jaime Murray as Gaia – a Roman social climber and Lucretia's friend.
• Stephen Lovatt as Tullius – Quintus' business rival who stands in his way of climbing up the social heirarchy.
• Gareth Williams as Vettius – Tullius' young henchman and Lanista of a rival ludus to both Quintus and Solonius.
• Craig Walsh-Wrightson as Marcus Decius Solonius – Batiatus' close friend and fellow Lanista.
• Andrew Laing as Sextus – the Roman magistrate of Capua.
• Peter Feeney as Quinctilius Varus – a Roman noble from Rome.
• Jason Hood as Cossutius – a Roman noble from Rome who is both immoral and sadistic. 
• Des Wallace as Appius – a Roman slaver in the employ of Tullius.

Slaves of the House of BatiatusEdit

• Marisa Ramirez as Melitta – Lucretia's personal slave and the wife of Oenomaus.
• Lesley-Ann Brandt as Naevia – a slave girl within the ludus who tends to Lucretia.
• Jessica Grace Smith as Diona – a slave girl within the ludus.

Gladiators of the House of VettiusEdit

• Joel Oliver as Caburus - a viscious and powerful gladiator from east of the Rhine. He serves as the Champion of the House of Vettius.
• Winham Hammond as Otho - a German gladiator of moderate skill and rival of Gannicus.

StatusEdit

The six episodes are:

• 1. Past Transgressions
• 2. Missio
• 3. Paterfamilias
• 4. Beneath The Mask
• 5. Reckoning
• 6. The Bitter End

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ New York Mag: http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/04/spartacus_prequel_starz_blood.html
2. ↑ Worldscreen: Starz Preps Spartacus Prequel: http://www.worldscreen.com/articles/display/25523