1. Enemies of Rome

It has been nearly one year since the slave rebellion started (which is known as the Third Servile War ). Spartacus and his followers defeat several Roman armies in their quest to "Make Rome Tremble." Spartacus tells his top commanders, Crixus, Agron and Gannicus, that they need to find a city for their followers to use as their base of operations by pointing out that hiding from the Roman armies will be hard in the upcoming winter season. Roman commanders Furius and Cossinius are getting frustrated about their lack of progress in defeating the rebels.

Spartacus and a trusted band sneak up to the commanders' hideout villa to slay both of them. In Rome, after hearing of this latest defeat, the Roman Senate fears Rome itself may be endangered but lacks funds and men to mount a suitably large army. Senator Metellus turns to the immensely rich, ambitious businessman Marcus Crassus, who accepts the offer to raise a new army to put down the slave rebellion. Crassus's eager teenage son Tiberius is frustrated when learning of this because his father accepted without negotiating an accordingly exalted status or mandate, and continuous private sparring with a dearly paid skilled gladiator named Hilarus, whom he ends up killing in a fair duel.

Spartacus's victory by killing Furius and Cossinius unwittingly plays into Crassus's hand, as he now formally "inherits" sole command of the Roman Army. It is later revealed that Crassus indirectly and surreptitiously provided Spartacus with the whereabouts of Furius and Cossinius, so as to have the rebel leader for himself.