bar Cochba, Spartacus and the cross

someone who wanted to play Devil's Advocate could say, "The gospellers say Jesus died on the cross.  Paul talks about Christ's death on the cross.  Simon bar Cochba led a revolt.  He couldn't be Christ."

The answer to that is:  we don't know how bar Cochba died.

We do know Spartacus (ca 109–71 BCE) was a Thracian gladiator who led a slave revolt against Rome.  We don't know how Spartacus died, either.  Plutarch, Appian and Florus claim that Spartacus died during the battle.  Appian reports that his body was never found.

However, six thousand survivors of the revolt who had been captured by the legions of Crassus were crucified. They lined the Appian Way  from Rome to Capua. 

It is reasonable to suppose that something of the same sort was done to bar Cochba and whatever of his followers survived. 

This would account for the narratives of the savior dying in disgrace on the cross.