Calling all historical drama fans! There's a thrilling new Spartacus spin-off that has just premiered on Prime Video with a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score – and it might be right up your street.
Spartacus: House of Ashur is a ten-part sequel series set before Julius Caesar's rise. Based in Rome, the steamy show reimagines a world where Ashur – who was brutally murdered in the original series – survives and takes control of the Capuan gladiator school.
Fans of the original Spartacus will be pleased to don their armour for the return of this hit franchise. Not only is the series created by Steven S DeKnight – the man behind the original Spartacus as well as Gods of the Arena and The Legend Retold – but it also sees the return of Nick Tarabay as the scheming and powerful Ashur. Plus, showrunner Steven also confirmed that he's already written season two, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
If you love historical dramas with a side of spicy romance and high-stakes action, this one is for you. Intrigued? Keep reading to find out more…
© Matt KlitscherThe series is a spin-off of the original Spartacus
Spartacus: House of Ashur Rotten Tomatoes score
Since the first two episodes landed on Prime Video and STARZ, the show has earned a flawless score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes from the first ten critic reviews.
In its review, Variety wrote: "Overall, Spartacus: House of Ashur is a dynamic follow-up to the previous chapters. A classic tale of the haves and have-nots in ancient Rome, where power means everything, DeKnight's world is as enticing as ever."
© Spartacus: House of Ashur © 2024 Starz, LLCGraham McTavish plays Korris
Meanwhile, Collider penned: "Spartacus: House of Ashur essentially pulls off the miraculous, leaning on the mythological extravagances of ancient Roman belief to rewrite history and give a character a new lease on life."
The Hollywood Reporter added: "It's promising that House of Ashur seems to understand that if it's the NSFW pleasures that draw us in first, it's the growing attachment to these characters and their lives that will keep us on the hook."
© Spartacus: House of Ashur © 2024 Starz, LLCIndia Shaw-Smith, Claudia Black and Andrew McFarlane also star
What have fans said about Spartacus: House of Ashur?
The show has also proved a hit with fans, who took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts. "Just finished the first two episodes of Spartacus: House of Ashur and it's so good. Can't wait for more episodes," wrote one person, while another said: "Soooo I've started Spartacus: House of Ashur and MAN. It's brutal/gory but so far, pretty damn good!!"
A third added: "The first two episodes were amazing! So happy to have one of my all-time favourite shows back. Can't wait for the rest of the season, and I need a season two renewal already."
© Matt KlitscherNick E. Tarabay brings Ashur back to life
What is Spartacus: House of Ashur about?
Dubbed a "thrilling, erotic, history-bending, roller-coaster experience", the series builds on everything that made the original a colossal hit, while reimagining an epic alternative storyline.
The synopsis reads: "What if Ashur lived and the Romans rewarded his treachery with the gladiator school where he once bled? Welcome to the House of Ashur. No longer a slave, Ashur (Nick E. Tarabay) has clawed his way to power, owning the same ludus that once owned him.
"But ruling a band of merciless gladiators is child's play compared to surviving the savage world of Roman politics – a cutthroat game in which betrayal isn't a sin, it's currency. Flipping tradition on its head, Ashur unleashes Achillia (Tenika Davis), a fierce and powerful gladiatrix eager to prove herself worthy in a man's world. Together, they ignite a new kind of spectacle that shocks, disrupts, and offends the elite with every drop of blood."
© Spartacus: House of Ashur © 2024 Starz, LLCDan Hamill, Evander Brown, Tenika Davis, Graham McTavish and Jordi Webber
Who stars in Spartacus: House of Ashur?
Nick E. Tarabay (Spartacus, Death Valley) leads the series as Ashur, while Graham McTavish (Outlander) plays Korris, Tenika Davis (Debug) is Achillia, Jamaica Vaughan (Home and Away) plays Hilara and Ivana Baquero (A Widow's Game) is Messia.
They're joined by Jordi Webber (Choose Love), Claudia Black (Farscape), India Shaw-Smith (Andor), Leigh Gill (Blitz), Jackson Gallagher (The Wheel) and Jaime Slater (Jupiter's Legacy).
