Editing 72 BC

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{Year nav|-72}}
{{BC year in topic|72}}
[[File:AppienSpartacus.png|upright=1.35|thumb|Map of [[Spartacus]]'s movements of 72 BC, according to [[Appian]]'s version.]]

__NOTOC__
Year '''72 BC''' was a year of the [[Roman calendar|pre-Julian Roman calendar]]. At the time it was known as the '''Year of the Consulship of Publicola and Lentulus''' (or, less frequently, '''year 682 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 72 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the [[Anno Domini]] [[calendar era]] became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years

== Events ==
<onlyinclude>

=== By place ===

==== Roman Republic ====
* [[Third Servile War]]: [[Spartacus]] moves with his followers northward to the [[Po Valley]]. Roman forces under [[Lucius Gellius Publicola (consul 72 BC)|Lucius Gellius Publicola]] defeat a group of slaves (30,000 men) led by [[Crixus]] near [[Gargano|Mount Gargano]]. He kills two-thirds of the rebels, including Crixus himself.<ref>Appian, ''Civil Wars'', [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Appian/Civil_Wars/1*.html#117 1.117]; Plutarch, ''Crassus'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Crassus*.html#9.7 9:7]; Livy, ''Periochae'' [https://www.livius.org/li-ln/livy/periochae/periochae096/.html#96 96]. Livy reports that troops under the (former) praetor Quintus Arrius killed Crixus and 20,000 of his followers.</ref>
* Summer &ndash; Spartacus and his followers defeat the Roman forces under [[Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus]] and Gellius, forcing the Roman legions to retreat in disarray. Both consuls are recalled to [[Ancient Rome|Rome]] in disgrace and relieved of their duties.<ref>Nic Fields (2009). ''Spartacus and the Slave War 73–71 BC: A gladiator rebels against Rome'', p. 62. {{ISBN|978-1-84603-353-7}}.</ref>
* Spartacus moves north again, to cross the [[Alps]] into [[Gaul]] and then to [[Thracia]]. Outside [[Modena|Mutina]] on the plain of the [[Po (river)|River Po]] he defeats the Roman forces under [[Gaius Cassius Longinus Varus|Gaius Cassius Longinus]], governor of [[Cisalpine Gaul|Gallia Cisalpina]].
* Autumn &ndash; Spartacus and his followers withdraw to the [[Bruttium]] peninsula. At one juncture he contemplates attacking Rome – but moves south. The [[Roman Senate|Senate]] sends [[Marcus Licinius Crassus]] against Spartacus.<ref>Shaw, Brent D (2001). ''Spartacus and the Slave Wars''. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, pp 178–79.</ref>
* Winter &ndash; Spartacus decides to camp near [[Thurii]]. Marcus Licinius Crassus with 10 Roman legions tries to trap the rebels in the toe of [[Italy]]. He builds a trench and a low earth [[Rampart (fortification)|rampart]] (with a fortified [[palisade]]).
* [[Battle of Cabira]]: [[Lucullus|Lucius Lucullus]] defeats King [[Mithradates VI Eupator|Mithridates VI]] and overruns [[Kingdom of Pontus|Pontus]]. Mithridates flees to [[Armenia]], ruled by his son-in-law [[Tigranes]], who refuses to turn his father-in-law in to Lucius Lucullus.
* On the [[Iberian Peninsula]] (part of the [[Roman Republic]]) rebel leader [[Quintus Sertorius]] is [[Assassination|assassinated]] by some of his own lieutenants (lead by [[Marcus Perperna Veiento|Marcus Perperna]]).{{efn|the year of his assassination is disputed – the debate is whether he was assassinated in 73 or 72 BCE}} Perperna takes command of the rebel army.
* [[Marcus Perperna Veiento|Perperna]] is defeated by [[Pompey the Great]] at the [[Battle near Osca|Battle of Osca]], ending the [[Sertorian War]] in [[Spain]].

==== Europe ====
* The [[Suebi]] and other tribes under King [[Ariovistus]] invade [[Gaul]].
</onlyinclude>

== Deaths ==
* [[Crixus]], Gaulish [[gladiator]] and military leader
* [[Quintus Sertorius]], leader of the [[Sertorian War|Sertorian rebels]] during the [[Sertorian War]]
* [[Marcus Perperna Vento]], lieutenant of [[Quintus Sertorius]] during the [[Sertorian War]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:72 Bc}}
[[Category:72 BC| ]]