Saxa (Spartacus)

Saxa is among the Germanic prisoners rescued from a slave ship in Neapolis, later joining Spartacus' rebel army.

Names	Saxa
Gender	Female ♀
Race	Human
Occupation	Slave, Rebel
Origin	Spartacus: Vengeance Episode 7: (S2E7) "Sacramentum" (March 9, 2012)
Alignment	Mixed
Age	30s
Created By	Steven S, DeKnight, Seamus Kevin Fahey
Height	182 cm (6ft 0in)
Weight	70kg (154lbs)
Personality Type	ENTP, 8w7 (Enneagram)
Portrayed By	Ellen Hollman

Appearance

Saxa is a strikingly beautiful woman with blonde hair and an athletic build. Despite her relatively small stature, she holds her own against much larger opponents in battle. In Vengeance, she wears light brown, tattered clothing and keeps her slave collar on even after being freed. By War of the Damned, the collar is finally removed, and she dons rebel attire.

Her preferred weapons are twin daggers, complementing her speed and agility. Following the events of Vengeance, she acquires and wields The Egyptian's daggers, as confirmed by Steven DeKnight.

Personality

Saxa has a bold, aggressive nature, typical of the Germanic warriors, and initially speaks only her native tongue. Unlike most women in the series, she is a hardened fighter, frequently boasting about her combat prowess. She excels in dual-wielding daggers or swords and is skilled in unarmed combat. Saxa thrives on proving her strength, often challenging men in battle to demonstrate her superiority. She is also openly bisexual, occasionally kissing women at random and engaging in relationships with both men and women.

She takes an immediate interest in Gannicus, drawn to his reputation as a champion and his free-spirited nature, which mirrors her own. When they become lovers, their relationship is fueled by passion, often indulging in wine, women, and revelry. Though Saxa rarely displays vulnerability, she is visibly offended when Gannicus ultimately chooses Sibyl over her. Rather than reacting with open heartbreak, she warns him that his reckless ways will only taint Sibyl’s innocence.

Despite her deep-seated hatred for Romans, Saxa’s loyalty to Spartacus and Gannicus is unwavering. This is evident when some of her fellow rebels begin slaughtering Roman prisoners—defying her own kin, she fights to protect them, honoring Spartacus' command to keep them alive.

Biography

Vengeance

In Sacramentum, Spartacus and Agron arrive on a ship, bribing the slave master to inspect his cargo before daylight. As they move below deck, they pass a group of captive slaves and find Saxa locked in a cage at the back. Agron begins conversing with the German leader, Sedullus, in their native tongue, only to realize that a nearby Roman guard also understands them. Tension escalates when the guard reaches for his weapon, but he is shoved backward into Saxa’s cage. Seizing the opportunity, she grabs him and viciously claws at his eye before Lucius Caelius delivers the final blow. The brief skirmish ends with the Germans freed, pledging their allegiance to Spartacus' rebellion. As Saxa steps out of her cage, she shoots a glare at Lucius, having noticed him pretending to inspect her as if considering a purchase.

Saxa is just as crude and aggressive as her male counterparts, quickly making her presence known among the rebels. That night, the Germans celebrate their liberation with a wild bonfire, feasting on hunted game and drinking stolen Roman wine. Saxa eagerly joins the revelry, wrestling alongside the men. When her lover, Nemetes, playfully insults her, she responds by knocking him to the ground before straddling and passionately kissing him.

When Sedullus’ drunken rage incites a riot, Saxa clashes with Mira in a heated fight. Mira proves to be an even match, managing to take Saxa down before the battle abruptly ends with Spartacus executing Sedullus. Soon after, Saxa is among the Germans who choose to follow Spartacus, right after Lugo.

Saxa later expresses curiosity about Gannicus and asks Agron about him. When Agron teases her about her relationship with Nemetes, she implies that their arrangement is far from permanent. During Spartacus’ training exercise, Saxa comes closest to stopping a surprise attack on the temple when Spartacus, Crixus, and Gannicus, disguised as Roman soldiers, infiltrate the camp before dawn. She is on the verge of setting Spartacus on fire when he halts the attack and reveals their true identities.

Later, when Spartacus rebukes the rebels for failing to defend the temple, Saxa mockingly comments in German about Mira’s preference for archery. When Agron reprimands her, she snaps at him—both verbally and physically. She then demands that Agron translate her question to Spartacus, pressing him on why Ilithyia was released despite Glaber failing to deliver the promised weapons—a complaint Gannicus supports. Spartacus offers an explanation, reinforcing the need for unity. To strengthen bonds among the rebels, he pairs those with personal grievances together in combat training. Saxa is paired with Mira, and despite their rivalry, they fight well as a team, easily defeating their opponents. In a display of excitement, Saxa kisses Mira on the lips.

During the Roman raid on the rebels’ camp, Saxa fights fiercely, dual-wielding her daggers and taking down multiple soldiers. However, as Roman reinforcements arrive, the rebels are forced to retreat to Vesuvius.

Unwilling to remain stranded in the mountains, Nemetes leads a splinter group of Germans, including Saxa, in an attempt to break through the Roman vanguard at the only pass. Their plan fails due to the intervention of Ashur and the Egyptian, but Spartacus and his forces arrive just in time to rescue them. Gannicus personally helps Saxa up the mountain. The battle, however, costs Mira her life. When Spartacus punishes Nemetes and gives a rousing speech, Saxa admires Gannicus' understanding of the loss, while Nemetes' callousness disgusts her, signaling the end of their relationship.

In the final battle at Vesuvius, Saxa fights alongside the rebels in a flanking maneuver against Glaber’s forces. She survives the battle, standing ready to face the next fight against Rome.

War of the Dammed

Months after the Battle of Vesuvius, Saxa remains as fearless and ruthless as ever, carving through Roman forces with ease. Now fluent in Latin, she communicates clearly with the rest of the rebels. She is present during the battle against Cossinius' forces, cutting down one Roman after another alongside her comrades.

After the battle, Saxa finds Gannicus and indulges in a passionate night with him, bringing along "gifts"—two female prostitutes. Their relationship, fitting both of their natures, is not exclusive but remains intensely passionate. Spartacus grows frustrated with Gannicus’ tendency to disappear for days after battles, choosing pleasure with Saxa, wine, and women over reporting to his leader.

When the rebels besiege a Roman city, Saxa takes part in the assault, slaying numerous enemies with her twin daggers. During the chaos, she, along with Sanus and Nemetes, attempts to execute Roman civilians but is reprimanded by Spartacus. Though she follows his orders, she is visibly displeased. Later, she cheers as Spartacus declares victory over the city.

Saxa soon notices that Gannicus has gained an unexpected shadow—a young slave named Sibyl, who follows him after he saved her and her fellow captives by killing their dominus. Intrigued, and perhaps slightly jealous, Saxa tracks down Sibyl and demands to know why she is following Gannicus. Sibyl insists she only wishes to thank him. Later, Saxa, dressed in fine Roman clothing, leads Gannicus to where Sibyl is waiting. Seductively caressing the girl, Saxa unties her dress, offering her as a gift to Gannicus. He hesitates, staring at Sibyl in contemplation before telling her to retrieve her clothes and leave. When Saxa questions his reluctance, Gannicus simply replies, "I do not want a girl. I want a woman."

During negotiations with the Cilician Pirates, Saxa informs Nemetes and Naevia that several Roman prisoners have gone missing. She remains at the gate while Naevia investigates, unknowingly leading to the execution of Attius, the blacksmith and friend of Gannicus.

Later, Saxa entertains herself by watching the new recruits train under Donar, laughing when an undercover Caesar boasts that he will have a rematch with Gannicus. Though she does not approve of allowing Romans to live, she remains fiercely loyal to Gannicus and, by extension, Spartacus.

When Sibyl approaches Gannicus and Saxa with concerns about suspicious activity, they uncover Laeta hiding Roman prisoners. At that moment, Gannicus realizes Attius was wrongfully executed. Seeing his fury, Saxa asks what he intends to do. Gannicus responds with a grim determination: “To see Attius' memory fucking honored.”

When Lysiscus incites the rebels and Crixus turns their anger into a massacre of the remaining Romans, Saxa attempts to escort those spared by Laeta to Spartacus. She defeats two rebels who challenge her and even confronts Nemetes to protect the civilians. However, she is knocked out by Lysiscus in the process.

Saxa later joins a group, including Spartacus, Gannicus, Sanus, Rabanus, and Lugo, on a mission across the sea to the Roman coast to secure more food, while simultaneously killing numerous Roman soldiers. Alongside Agron and Donar, she helps defeat many Romans at the gate when they retake the city. But Caesar manages to damage the gate enough for it to be breached, warning the rebels to flee.

Though they initially hold off one wave of Romans, Saxa, Gannicus, and Donar are eventually forced to retreat into the city. They regroup with Spartacus, Crixus, and Naevia, where they decide to retreat into the mountains. Gannicus and Donar volunteer to stay behind and cover the retreat. Saxa shares an emotional farewell with Gannicus, urging him not to die and to return to her.

While camped in the cold, snowy mountains north of Sinuessa, Saxa is overjoyed to see Gannicus return, embracing him warmly. However, their bond begins to weaken as Gannicus distances himself from her. Saxa joins the others in an assault on Marcus Crassus' tent, only for it to be revealed as a trap. The rebels manage to escape, returning to their camp.

When a severe storm hits the rebel camp, Saxa grows concerned for Gannicus and asks Spartacus if he knows where he is, prompting the rebel leader to search for his friend. After the storm subsides, Gannicus and Sibyl return together. While initially overjoyed, Saxa quickly realizes that Gannicus no longer feels the same way and remarks coldly about how not everyone was fortunate enough to survive.

As the rebels take the fight to Crassus' walls, Saxa continues to fight alongside them, though her relationship with Gannicus grows increasingly strained. When Spartacus and Crixus decide to part ways, the rebels take a brief respite in a Roman village. Saxa and Gannicus meet again, and she teasingly asks if he's now with "the little thing" (Sibyl). Gannicus tries to explain that he didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but Saxa smirks, confident that he will ruin Sibyl with his ways and eventually return to her bed.

When the rebels finally split, Saxa chooses to join Spartacus in escaping over the Alps rather than staying with Gannicus.

Later, Saxa intercepts a group of Romans camped for the night with Spartacus, Gannicus, and Lugo. After ambushing them, she remarks to Lugo that next time, she wants to be closer to the Romans, leaving the bow to him. They soon discover that the Romans are not Crassus' men but those of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, a new threat to the rebels.

During the games Spartacus organizes to honor Crixus' death, Saxa briefly faces off with a Roman soldier, defeating him easily. When Tiberius, the last of his captured troops, is brought in, Saxa leads him into the makeshift arena to face Naevia.

In the final battle, Saxa joins Gannicus in striking Crassus' legions with a cavalry charge from the rear. She dismounts to help load the catapults and ballistae, firing them at Crassus' soldiers with precision. She and Gannicus also use oil pots to fend off flanking soldiers. Saxa fights bravely but is eventually injured and impaled by a sword. Despite the injury, she kills the soldier responsible before collapsing.

Gannicus, noticing her wound, rushes to her side, catching her as she falls. Her final words, spoken in her native tongue, are: "I again find myself...in your arms," before she succumbs to her injuries. Her death deeply angers Gannicus, who continues to fight on in her honor.

Powers and Statistics

Tier: 9-B

Powers and Abilities: Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Expert Dagger User, Adept in Unarmed Combat, High Pain Tolerance, Indomitable Will

Attack Potency: Wall level (Comparable to Spartacus)

Speed: Peak Human

Lifting Strength: Unknown

Striking Strength: Wall level

Durability: Wall level

Stamina: High

Range: Standard Melee Range

Standard Equipment: Dual Egyptian Daggers

Intelligence: Average

Weaknesses: None Notable

Trivia

• The name Saxa is of German origin, derived from sachs meaning "Saxon." The Saxons were a Germanic tribe whose name ultimately comes from the word sahs, meaning "knife." The Saxons emerged in the 3rd Century CE as an offshoot of the ancient Ingaevones tribe from northern Germany.
• Ellen Hollman's, the actress who portrays Saxa brother, Eric Hollman, and her sister-in-law, Kristen Alexander, are also involved in the series.
• Saxa is one of only three main female warriors in the series, alongside Mira and Naevia.
• She was the twentieth main character to be killed in the series.
• Saxa was the last of the German warriors to die.
• Although she is openly bisexual, her emotional attachment seems to lean toward heterosexuality, as she primarily shows romantic interest in Gannicus.
• Germanic tribes such as the Cimbri, the Marcomanni, and the Suebi were said to have female warriors known as "shieldmaidens," a tradition that Saxa may have embodied in her own culture.