The Sicilian Slave Revolts of Ancient Rome
What we can learn from the Servile Wars
The slave revolts or First and Second Servile Wars in Sicily during the 130s BC and again in 104 BC were widespread and brutal. Sicily had become a vital agricultural colony for the Roman Republic following the Punic Wars.
As such, many Romans and Italians owned property there and used slaves for labor. The slaves were treated very poorly, resulting in rebellions in the 130s and 104 BC (the First and Second Servile Wars). Both revolts followed a very similar model in the general circumstances that led to rebellion, difficulties (or lack thereof) faced by the slaves, Roman reaction, and eventual failure of the uprising.
In Sicily during the 130s, wealthy plantation owners treated their slaves with great brutality. They failed to provide necessities such as food or clothing. This resulted in banditry as escaped slaves roamed the countryside stealing livestock in an attempt to survive.
These bandits were ravaging the countryside and spared no free person, eventually culminating in an all-out rebellion after Eunus incited it following the taunting by Damophilos and his wife. The uprising in the 130s was caused by maltreatment of the slave population, which simmered under the surface until the divine blessing of self-appointed ruler…
