Season 3 picks up following the death of Gaius Claudius Glaber. Spartacus (Liam McIntyre) has grown from a vengeful gladiator into a formidable general. His rebel army has swollen to thousands of freed slaves, becoming a legitimate threat to the Roman Republic. Unlike previous seasons, which focused on survival or personal vendettas, War of the Damned is a full-scale military epic.

The series continuously asks what it means to be truly free. For Spartacus, freedom means a peaceful life away from Roman tyranny. For others, freedom is a weapon to inflict the same pain they suffered onto their former masters.

Unlike previous villains, Crassus respects Spartacus’s military genius. He is joined by a young, ambitious Julius Caesar , who infiltrates the rebel camp to sow discord.