Spartacus on Starz is rife with thrilling action and ample drama - though it's also regarded for its range of memorable characters. One of the most interesting - outside the Roman rebel himself - is the wife of lanista Quintus Batiatus, Lucretia. She's something of a dual character; being of an elevated class of Roman elites, while coming from humble upbringings - a fact that Quintus' father isn't shy about reminder her of in the prequel season, Gods of the Arena. This duality extends to her relationships as well, demonstrated by her love-hate relationship with the noblewoman Ilithyia - and the love triangle involving her husband and the gladiator Crixus.
While her run didn't extend beyond the second season, there were many interesting moments involving Lucretia, as well as some odd, nonsensical ones. There are plenty to choose from when it comes to the latter.
10 Elitist Qualities While Considered "Lower Status"
It's often mentioned that Lucretia is of lower social and economic status among the Roman elite. She is frequently undermined by Ilithyia and her friends, along with Batiatus' father, who views her as "beneath" his family and not worthy of his son.
Yet, both her mannerisms and wardrobe would suggest that she's very much a Roman aristocrat in many respects. She resides in a lavish villa - often bathing in her pool and being tended to by various slaves. She buys expensive jewelry and exudes a general air of smugness and superiority. Not only this, but her various gowns and wigs would suggest that she's of quite a high standing - even before the wealth and fame brought by Spartacus' success.
9 Pawning Her Necklace At A Fraction Of The Price To Spite Solonius
Lucretia yearns for wealth and prosperity - even when Quintus finds himself in dire economic straits. Still, early on in Blood and Sand, she sees fit to aid Quintus in restoring some of their dwindling finances by selling a valuable necklace given by Crixus. However, the merchant at the market offers but a small fraction of the jewelry's value. Enter rival Solonius - who sees this as an opportunity to win her over. He offers to buy the item at full price, which she promptly turns down.
Of course, it's implied that this would come with some sort of "strings attached," or so Solonius thinks. Still, it's hard to see why Lucretia couldn't have simply taken him up on his offer. She could have pocketed the earnings while continuing to spurn his advances; regardless of the demeaning implications.
8 Developing Feelings For Crixus
Just as her husband does, Lucretia uses her servants - or at least one of them - for sexual satisfaction. The man in question is the gladiator Crixus, who she frequently calls for sexual episodes during the show's first season. Despite the likelihood of some emotional attachments developing - it's a bit odd that Lucretia would eventually have such strong feelings for a man with whom she barely speaks. She even has a tantrum at the mere idea of her friend Ilithyia bedding him and goes berserk on a favored slave for sleeping with him, striking her, and sending her away.
At least in the scenes shown, Crixus speaks very little with her and shows virtually no emotion during their meetings.
7 Her Complex Relationship With Ilithyia
The relationship between Lucretia and Glaber's wife Ilithyia is something of a roller coaster, which seems to waver between admiration and disgust. While they apparently enjoy each other's company early on, this soon leads to subtle gabs by Ilithyia and outright sabotage by Lucretia. Things unravel rather quickly.
Lucretia essentially blackmails her and exploits her for various personal favors. By season two, Ilithyia suddenly wants her dead, while a now-crazed Lucretia seeks to abduct and kill the newborn child of her former friend. It's quite a jarring departure from this once-close relationship - which was even sexual on occasion.
6 Surviving The Gladiator Revolt - And Without Her Memory
It seemed implied that Lucretia met her end in the wake of the bloody gladiator raid inside the villa. After all, she'd been brutally skewed by a blade, and presumably spent several weeks at the scene when she's finally discovered by Glaber and Ilithyia. As it happens, the original plan was to end her story here - but series creator Steven S. DeKnight decided to include her in the second season.
On a meta-level, this explains the shocking reveal that she managed to survive the ravenous gladiators - who were clearly out for blood. But from a narrative sense, many found it somewhat implausible that she made it through. Even stranger is that she ended up with amnesia following this slaughter. One would think this traumatic event would be vividly etched in her mind.
5 Her Standing Meant That Marriage To Quintus Was Impossible
As Titus is keen on reminding her, Lucretia is of lower birth and social standing compared to himself and his son.
According to the laws of Ancient Rome, though, a legitimate marriage would have required both parties to be of the same class ranking. This is true whether the subjects were the ruling class (Patricians) or free Roman citizens (Plebians). It would seem, then, that either the showrunners took some minor creative liberties or their marriage was illegitimate.
4 Her Motives And Purpose In "Vengeance"
While fans were happy to see this memorable antagonist return for season two, known as Vengeance, some felt Lucretia's presence felt a bit forced or isolated from the rest of the narrative. She's clearly been traumatized and struggles to recall the slaughter in her villa, existing as a tragic shell of her former self. She spends much of the season as little more than a whisperer to Ilithyia, who secretly wishes her gone anyway.
The dynamic has an air of aimlessness - at least until her grim motives are revealed in the season finale.
3 Blackmailing Ilithyia
Near the end of season one, Ilithyia expresses a desire to lay with Crixus, which is, of course, an issue for Lucretia. Her response is a calculated plot to sabotage her and get her to lay with Spartacus instead. After all, participants wear masks at these events, so she wouldn't notice. But in a questionable move, she leads Ilithyia's friend Licinia - who was scheduled to lay with the busy gladiator at the same time - towards the two in bed.
Things spiral out of control, as Licinia's mocking laugher drives Ilithyia into a rage, spurring her to kill her. Lucretia promises to keep this a secret - provided she does what she says. It's a risky move for all sorts of reasons. Lucretia's not only burned a bridge with her scorned friend, but she's involved herself in a grim conspiracy.
2 Having A Child With Crixus
It's mentioned more than once that Lucretia and Quintus have struggled to have a child for years. Eventually, she decides to try her luck with Crixus, a move that would no-doubt upset Quintus if discovered. In typical form, she manages to keep things under wraps when she does get pregnant; presumably with the gladiator's child.
Still, one can't help but wonder whether Quintus would have suspected something when looking at a child that's supposedly his own. After all, he makes it clear that he was aware of her sexual escapades with Crixus.
1 Killing Titus Even When He Seems To Be Warming Up To Her
Like her husband, Lucretia makes a number of bold, vindictive moves that threaten to ruin her if discovered. One of the biggest examples is when she poisons Quintus' father Titus in Gods of the Arena. For one, she risks being suspected by her husband - and had even discussed killing Titus with him not long before.
Not only this, but Titus had even begun warming up to her after formerly shunning her, moments before succumbing to the poison.
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