A slave rebellion is an armed uprising by slaves, as a way of fighting for their freedom. Rebellions of slaves have occurred in nearly all societies that practice slavery or have practiced slavery in the past. A desire for freedom and the dream of successful rebellion is often the greatest object of song, art, and culture amongst the enslaved population. These events, however, are often violently opposed and suppressed by slaveholders.
Death of the gladiator Spartacus by Hermann Vogel, 1882
Tacky's War in Jamaica (1760)
Slaves force the retreat of European soldiers led by Lt Brady during Demerara rebellion of 1823
Spartacus was a Thracian gladiator (Thraex) who was one of the escaped slave leaders in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic.
The Death of Spartacus by Hermann Vogel (1882)
A 19th-century depiction of the fall of Spartacus by the Italian Nicola Sanesi (1818–1889)
Viva Spartaco, Spartaco a Rosarno: graffiti connecting Spartacus with 2010 Rosarno riots between locals and migrant farm workers
Spartacus, marble sculpture by Denis Foyatier (1830), Louvre Museum