In September 2010, Andy Whitfield (Spartacus) announced that he would not be able to appear in the second season because he had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and was pursuing aggressive medical treatment. In January 2011, the Starz network announced that Australian actor Liam McIntyre had been chosen to replace Whitfield as Spartacus. In September 2011, Whitfield died at the age of 39.
The wooden training swords used by the gladiators appeared to be very light and easy to handle. Historically speaking, wooden training swords for Gladiators were actually made to be heavier than steel swords in order for their handling of a Gladius to be more efficient.
For the orgy scenes, the producers hired a New Zealand company that works on sexual gatherings professionally and instructed them to do whatever they wanted on camera. Then they would edit what was too much for Starz.
Andy Whitfield never has a full frontal nude scene; he has on a false penis during his sex scene with Viva Bianca.
Throughout the first season, Spartacus is ridiculed by his fellow Gladiators because of his Thracian heritage. Everything from his fighting prowess, to the alleged "filth" of his homeland fell under scrutiny; particularly from the Gauls. Some historians, however, believe that Thrace was among the more difficult provinces for the Roman Republic to conquer due to the fabled skill and savagery of the Thracian warriors.