How Spartacus’ 100% RT Sequel Show Tweaks Roman History For Ashur’s Return

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The actors behind two key characters in Spartacus: House of Ashur discuss how the new show reimagines Roman history. House of Ashur continues the story of the original Spartacus series, which began with Blood and Sand in 2010, following the journey of Spartacus, a gladiator who led a rebellion against the Roman Empire.

After more than ten years since the first series concluded, House of Ashur is the newest installment in the franchise, debuting on December 5th. Nick Tarabay returns as Ashur, now the central character, and he’s joined by a talented cast including Claudia Black, Ivana Baquero, Dan Hamill, Jamaica Vaughn, Graham McTavish, Tenika Davis, and Lucy Lawless.

In an interview with ScreenRant’s Tatiana Hullender, actors Tarabay and Black talked about how Spartacus: House of Ashur changes real Roman history to fit its narrative. They were asked how the political turmoil in the show impacts their characters, and Taraby explained that it “really affects Ashur.”

The character is caught in a web of plots and conspiracies. Black described the difficult circumstances her character, Cossutia, faces, noting that resources are rapidly disappearing. You can find the complete statements from Tarabay and Black further down.

In this version of events, the slave revolt failed, and the ruling Triumvirate is facing political trouble. How does this situation impact your characters?

Nick E. Tarabay explains that the events deeply impact Ashur, who is constantly stressed and feels trapped by the conspiracies around him. He has very limited options and needs to make the most of every opportunity, or things could end badly.

Claudia Black believes Gabinius’s choices regarding Rome’s powerful leaders will significantly impact the Cossutia family’s resources. With resources becoming scarce, where Gabinius stands and who he supports will be crucial to their future.

Trying to manage these men is risky because the moment they sense weakness, they all try to take control for themselves.

The Spartacus TV series has included portrayals of many historical people, even the gladiator Spartacus himself. However, the character of Ashur was made up for the show. Because of this, a story focused on Ashur will inevitably take liberties with actual Roman history.

For this series, the writers need to establish a consistent history, as Hullender calls it, “within this timeline.” Both Black and Tarabay point out that the show’s historical events affect the characters, regardless of whether those characters are based on real people or not.

Despite everything, the story the actors tell has some compelling elements. The dwindling resources will create hardship for people, and that will only increase the tension already caused by the political situation.

Critics seem to be enjoying the new series, Spartacus: House of Ashur. Currently, it has a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on reviews from 6 critics. Though it’s still early days, this suggests the show is off to a strong start.

This new series is a stronger beginning than the original Spartacus, which received mixed reviews. How accurately it portrays historical events will likely be closely examined by history enthusiasts after it’s released. Comments from Tarabay and Black suggest the upcoming Spartacus: House of Ashur will be full of intense drama.

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2025-12-04 03:18