The Roman economy’s complete dependence on slave labor created an internal ticking time bomb. The third and most famous of these revolts was led by Spartacus , a gladiator who organized a massive slave army that defeated multiple Roman legions before being suppressed. The Barbarian Invasions and the Fall of the West
The most famous external challenges to Rome often came from powerful neighboring states that viewed the growing Republic as an existential threat. Against Rome
Not all who fought Rome came from without; many of the fiercest struggles originated within the empire's borders. The Roman economy’s complete dependence on slave labor
Cicero considered Mithradates the greatest king since Alexander. He orchestrated the "Asiatic Vespers," a coordinated killing of 80,000 Romans and their allies, and fought three major wars against Rome’s top generals for decades. Not all who fought Rome came from without;
Masada: A heroic last stand against Rome - Princeton University Press