ANDY Whitfield, the 39-year-old star of the cable series Spartacus: Blood and Sand, has died in Sydney.

Manager Sam Maydew said Whitfield died yesterday of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Whitfield's wife, Vashti, called her husband a "beautiful young warrior" who died on a "sunny Sydney morning" in the "arms of his loving wife".

Whitfield - who was born in Wales and lived in Australia - was a virtual unknown when he was cast as the title hero in Spartacus, a hit original TV series that made waves with its graphic violence and sexuality.

Whitfield was preparing for the second season when he was diagnosed 18 months ago.

Australian actor Liam McIntyre took over the role this year.