As material for ["Spartacus"], Howard Fast has taken the slave revolts that troubled the Roman Empire just before the coming of Christ…. As an historian Mr. Fast is, as usual, persuasive. He has supplied all the homely details and evidences of careful research which, a few years back, called forth the critical encomium "one of America's finest writers of historical novels." As a polemicist he has happily restrained the tendency to the orotund phrase, the too sophomoric declamation of his political faith which marred many of his earlier works….

"Spartacus" is peopled with roundly realized characters. We know not only the nobilities and strengths of Mr. Fast's heroes but also their weaknesses. More importantly, he has given us real glimpses into the humanity of his villains. He tells us what Graccus and Crassus are, in his book; but he also lets us know what they might have been...