Spartacus (1960) Film Unit: Viewing Questions + Exam
"I'm Spartacus!" Spartacus (1960) is more than just a classic film; it's a dramatization of one of history's greatest heroes: the gladiator-turned-freedom-fighter, Spartacus. Kirk Douglas, Sir Lawrence Olivier, Peter Ustinov, and Jean Simmons provide stellar performances, and the sweeping cinematography of Stanley Kubrick brings the drama to life. I use this unit as a supplement to my ancient Rome and Shakespeare's Julius Caesar unit. (Young Julius Caesar even stars as a minor character.) My students truly enjoy this film and serves as an excellent springboard into ancient Rome. This unit works in conjunction with Spartacus: The Restored Version available on Amazon.com
The materials in this film unit include:
- A unit overview sheet with instructions on how to teach at least a 6-day unit using these materials
- Four viewing guides with 20+ questions each that ask students to recall, connect, and analyze the events of the film
- An exam with three reading passages (two from ancient Rome and one from a modern historian), multiple-choice questions, and short answer questions. (An answer sheet is also included.)
- Keys for each of the viewing guides and the assessment
- Spartacus discussion questions for post-film discussion
Reasons for showing this film to your students:
- An entertaining and educational look at ancient Rome and the historical figure of Spartacus
- Exposure to classic film
- Builds interest in the world of Julius Caesar
- Practice analyzing reading passages
