What is Crassus?
{{Infobox Politician | name = Marcus Licinius Crassus | image = | caption = | birth_date = 115 BC | birth_place = [[Roman Republic]] | residence = | death_date = 53 BC (aged 62) | death_place = [[Harran|Carrhae]], [[Parthia]]n Empire | office = [[roman Consul|Consul]] of the [[Roman Republic]] | salary = | term_start = 70 BC, 55 BC | term_end = 53 BC | predecessor = | successor = | constituency = | party = | majority = | spouse = Tertulla | children = Marcus Licinius Crassus, Publius Licinius Crassus | website = | footnotes = }} '''Marcus Licinius Crassus''' (c. 115 BC – 53 BC) was a [[Roman Republic|Roman]] [[General officer|general]] and [[politician]]. He commanded the left wing of [[Sulla]]'s army at the [[Battle of the Colline Gate]]. It was he who finally suppressed the slave revolt led by [[Spartacus]]. The [[Third Servile War]] began with three defeats of Roman armies against Spartacus and his followers. The revolt was finally destroyed by the concentrated military effort of a single commander, Marcus Licinius Crassus. The last stage of his career was as a ''triumvir'', one of the [[First Triumvirate]], with Gnaeus [[Pompey|Pompeius Magnus]] and Gaius [[Julius Caesar]]. One of the richest men of the era, he was killed after a defeat at the [[Battle of Carrhae]]. His death led to the civil wars between Julius Caesar and Pompey, the other two triumvirs. == Brutal discipline == Crassus formed an army to meet the Parthians. In addition to six new [[Roman legion|legions]], he was given other legions which had been beaten by Spartacus. He [[Decimation|decimated]] them. This was the brutal method of [[execution|executing]] ''one man in ten'' to encourage the others to fight harder. Each group of ten men drew [[Lottery|lots]] to decide who would die. This punishment had not been used since the early days of Rome. Crassus's punishment of Spartacus's surviving men was just as brutal. They were [[Crucifixion|crucified]]. But his army was beaten by the Parthians, with many Roman deaths, including that of Cr