Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Campy Roman spin-off has gore, sex, cursing, drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Spartacus: House of Ashur
What's the Story?
SPARTACUS: HOUSE OF ASHUR is an installment of Steven S. DeKnight's Spartacus franchise that offers a character a new lease on life. The treacherous former Assyrian slave and gladiator Ashur (Nick E. Tarabay) is slain by Naevia (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) and sent to the afterlife. There, he encounters the spirit of Lucretia (Lucy Lawless), who offers him the chance to experience an alternate timeline of events in which he kills Spartacus and ends the slave rebellion. Awarded with his own house and ludus (gladiator training school) managed by Korris (Graham McTavish), Ashur enjoys his life as a new dominus and lanista, but his lack of noble Roman blood keep him from being fully accepted by the established members of the upper class, including politically powerful noblewomen like Cossutia (Claudia Black). Ashur knows that victory in the arena will elevate his status, and hopes that his new fighter-in-training Achillia (Tenika Davis), the first gladiatrix of the realm, will be the answer.
Is It Any Good?
This campy action series offers all the gruesome fantasy violence and sexual hedonism the Spartacus franchise is known for. The choice to rewrite Ashur's story may seem a little random to fans of previous series installments, but House of Ashur stands well on its own, and doesn't require you to be familiar with past events (or know anything about ancient Roman history, for that matter) to be appreciated. Meanwhile, Ashur is a well-developed anti-hero, and the characters with whom he interacts are also robust and engaging. This leads to some interesting backstories and compelling plot points, and keeps the overall series from only relying on its deliberately over-the-top sex and violence to keep it entertaining. Granted, it's not for everyone, but if you like fun and flamboyant adventures, Spartacus: House of Ashur won't disappoint.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what the Roman Republic was like when Spartacus and his contemporaries were alive. Was life as political, hedonistic, and brutal as depicted in TV and movies?
Does the extensive cursing, fantasy violence, and explicit sexual content in Spartacus: House of Ashur make the series more entertaining? Or hard to take seriously?
TV Details
- Premiere date : December 5, 2025
- Cast : Nick E. Tarabay , Graham McTavish , Tenika Davis
- Network : Starz
- Genre : Action
- Topics : Adventures
- Character Strengths : Perseverance
- TV rating :
- Last updated : February 15, 2026
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