My only reservation is about how the open-ended nature will fit it with historical consistency. Not so much Spartacus' own fate, but that of any character the player may choose to play. Will events be led by history?
That's always the dilemma of such games. In exchange for the consistecy of a real-world scenario, you have historical constraints to adhere to.
(Personally I prefer turn-based strategy to real-time engines any day, but nevertheless I wish the project well. In essence it's a very interesting venture.)