Spartacus: House of Ashur season 1 episode 5: Release date, time, where to watch, and what to expect

Starz’s blood-soaked historical drama Spartacus: House of Ashur continues to expand its brutal alternate timeline with the upcoming fifth episode, promising major consequences for Ashur’s rise to power. The sequel series reimagines Roman history by sparing Ashur from death at Mount Vesuvius and rewarding his betrayal with control of a gladiator ludus. 

Following the explosive events of the recently released episode, titled Blood and Bone, Ashur finally secures his place in the Ludi Apollinares while navigating shifting alliances, public humiliation, and the unexpected arrival of Julius Caesar.

At the same time, Achillia’s emergence as a gladiatrix has begun to challenge both tradition and loyalty within the ludus.

With Episode 5, titled Goddess of Death, the series appears ready to test whether Ashur’s calculated gamble will elevate his house, or destroy it entirely.

Release details for Spartacus: House of Ashur Season 1 Episode 5

Spartacus: House of Ashur Season 1 Episode 5, titled Goddess of Death, is set to premiere on Friday, December 26, 2025, on Starz. The episode will air at 6 pm PT/9 pm ET on the Starz cable network, continuing the show’s weekly Friday release schedule. 

Viewers can also stream the episode on the Starz app and via Starz on-demand platforms, including Amazon Prime Video Channels, shortly after it airs.

Spartacus: House of Ashur season 1 consists of 10 episodes in total, with new installments dropping weekly through early February 2026. 

Cast details explored

The ensemble cast of Spartacus: House of Ashur continues to balance returning franchise faces with compelling new additions. Nick E. Tarabay anchors the series as Ashur, a former gladiator turned calculating dominus who now wields power with ruthless precision. 

Graham McTavish stars as Korris, Ashur’s feared Doctore, an authoritative and emotionally conflicted figure. His evolving relationship with Opiter and his loyalty to Ashur place him at the center of multiple political and personal tensions.

Tenika Davis delivers a standout performance as Achillia, the series’ first gladiatrix. Her rise from humiliation to potential champion challenges Roman norms and fuels the spectacle Ashur needs to command attention.

Claudia Black portrays Cossutia, the manipulative wife of Senator Gabinius, whose schemes continue to endanger everyone around her. India Shaw-Smith appears as Viridia, whose near-death experience has reshaped her view of Ashur in unexpected ways.

The cast is rounded out by Jordi Webber as the volatile Tarchon, Jamaica Vaughan as the devoted Hilara, Ivana Baquero as Messia, Leigh Gill as Satyrus of the Brothers Ferox, and Jackson Gallagher as a young, calculating Julius Caesar, whose arrival signals deeper political consequences ahead.

What to expect from the upcoming episode of Spartacus: House of Ashur?

Episode 5 of Spartacus: House of Ashur will directly build on the fallout from Blood and Bone. Ashur’s long-sought victory, earning entry into the Ludi Apollinares, comes at a cost.

His public humiliation in the market has hardened his resolve, while his intervention in the Cilician pirate attack reframed him as a protector rather than a predator.

According to Starz’s official synopsis, Episode 5 will see Ashur present Achillia to the public, throwing her into her first official arena battle. This moment represents a defining gamble for the House of Ashur.

Achillia’s success would legitimize Ashur’s rule and silence his rivals; her failure could undo everything he has fought for. Facing the fearsome Brothers Ferox, the stakes are as political as they are physical.

A newly released sneak peek clip suggests the spectacle surrounding Achillia’s debut will shock Rome’s elite. Her presence alone defies tradition, turning the arena into a battleground for ideology as much as blood.

Meanwhile, the arrival of Julius Caesar and Cornelia introduces a new layer of intrigue. Rather than Crassus, it is Caesar who now occupies Ashur’s villa, an uninvited development that hints at looming manipulation.

Spartacus: House of Ashur season 1 episode 5, titled Goddess of Death, will premiere on December 26, 2025, exclusively on Starz.