We discuss 10 TV Shows like Spartacus you must watch. Add these well-recommended series to your watch list.
I remember when the movie 300 hit the big screens in 2006. Zack Snyder took the Frank Miller comic book adaptation of the legendary story and re-invented a genre that hadn’t had much exposure for a long time.
Lots of green screens, slow motion, set pieces, violent battles, fight scenes, and superheroic leads are a checklist of Snyder tropes. One of the offshoots of 300 was a television franchise that started with Spartacus.
This TV miniseries from Starz took the slave-to-warrior story and ran with it, giving us a show that embodied a lot of the style of 300, and made it into an episodic TV gladiator soap opera that wasn’t shy to show ultra-violence and nudity to its eager audience.
Love it or hate it, it started a popular franchise that would include games and comic books based on the show.
Fans of Spartacus are always looking for a similar fare, and it gives me great pleasure to present ten shows like Spartacus you must watch.
10 TV Shows like Spartacus
Rome (2005)
This similarly time-zoned British tale of Romans in the last days of the Roman Empire hits a few beats.
As well as the Roman soldiers, we also follow Caesar and Augustus in this sprawling tale of political upheaval and survival at ground level, making this a must for our list/
Vikings (2013)
This hugely popular series follows Ragnar Lothbrok. farmer and warrior with formidable ambition and drive, ready to conquer the world. Its brutal depiction of Viking lore will please fans of Spartacus.
Black Sails (2014)
Twenty years before the events in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, Captain Flint and his band of pirates embarked on a whole host of un-documented stories, which we find in Black Sails.
With some stunning cinematography and those boats, this gives Spartacus a run for its money.
The Witcher (2019)
Henry Cavil would star as the titular character in The Witcher and bring gravitas to this period drama adventure fantasy series based on a video game.
Although far more based on mysticism than Spartacus, we have a hugely charismatic and powerful lead fighting against monsters, putting this on our list.
Game Of Thrones (2011)
Not much we can say about GOT, but we can see some similarities between the production of this and Spartacus.
Both shows were not afraid to push the envelope of television, showing graphic violence, nudity, and controversial themes, so although we imagine most of you will have watched this already, there may be a few Spartacus fans that passed it by, so give it a go.
The Shannara Chronicles (2016)
Jon Favreau produces this thrilling fantasy series that follows Amberle Elessedil on a quest to save an Elvish tree that protects the Four Lands from demons. She has to release ancient lost magic that the Elves haven’t used in years, aided by Wil Ohmsford.
No gladiators here, but Manu Bennett, who plays Crixus from Spartacus, has a great role, so we put this one in.
Empire (2005)
More skulduggery from the Roman Empire here, and this epic tale of the events that occurred after the death of Julius Caesar is a gripping look into the political machinations that led to a civil war. Stunning sets and costumes elevate this miniseries, although the narrative drops the ball on a few occasions.
Kengan Ashura (2019)
Here is our out-of-left-field entry with an anime series that some of you may have missed. The story follows Kazuo Yamashita, who finds that his manager at the corporation he works has selected him to manage a gladiator.
Hired gladiators are used in this world to fight in “Kengan Matches” to protect the corporate rights of the businesses they are enlisted by.
Spartacus (2014)
Goran Visnjic plays the title role here in this overlooked miniseries from 2014.
Hitting the same plot beats, Spartacus is bought as a slave and works his way through the ranks leading to a revolt; this 2 episode series shares an awful lot with the classic Kubrick movie, and for true fans, the story stays very close to the Howard Fast novel that kicked the whole thing off in the first place.
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (2011)
This was a prequel to the original Spartacus series and, as a result, has everything that fans of the show will love. The show follows Gannicus, who was the first champion of the House of Batiatus before the time of Spartacus.
Taking place five years before the OG series, the show manages to replicate the tone perfectly.
Do you have any other recommendations for TV Shows like Spartacus? Let us know in the comments.
