Spartacus (1960) – Filming Locations
History / War / Drama / Adventure · Directed by Stanley Kubrick · Starring Kirk Douglas, Jean Simmons
The rebellious Thracian Spartacus, born and raised a slave, is sold to Gladiator trainer Batiatus. After weeks of being trained to kill for the arena, Spartacus turns on his owners and leads the other slaves in rebellion. As the rebels move from town to town, their numbers swell as escaped slaves join their ranks. Under the leadership of Spartacus, they make their way to southern Italy, where they will cross the sea and return to their homes.
Where was Spartacus filmed?
- Los Angeles, United States, Los Angeles – Construction of the gladiator training camp and various arena sequences. Universal Studios backlot served as the primary location for building the massive gladiator camp sets and arena complex due to the scale and control required for this ambitious production
- Death Valley, United States, Death Valley – The slave rebellion and Spartacus's army marching across the desert landscape. The desolate desert terrain provided an authentic harsh backdrop for depicting the slave army's journey and the brutal conditions of ancient Rome's conflict
- Rome, Italy, Rome – Establishing shots and scenes depicting Rome and the Senate. Kubrick filmed establishing shots and key sequences in Rome itself to provide authentic Roman architectural and historical atmosphere for the film's setting
- Spain – Additional landscape and battle sequences. Spanish locations were utilized for expansive landscape shots and battle scenes depicting the slave army's movements across the Mediterranean region