slaves were cheap, in consequence of the abundant supply,
the masters did not care for their lives, and treated them with great
barbarity. A great part of the land in Italy was turned into
sheep-walks. The slaves were made responsible for the sheep committed to
their care, and were left to supply themselves with food as they best
could. It was an aggravation of their wretched lot, that almost all
these slaves had once been freemen, and were not distinguished from
their masters by any outward sign, like the negroes in the United
States. In Sicily the free population had diminished even more than in
Italy; and it was in this island that the first Servile War broke out.
Damophilus, a wealthy landowner of Enna, had treated his slaves with
excessive barbarity. They entered into a conspiracy against their cruel
master, and consulted a Syrian slave of the name of Eunus, who belonged
to another master. This Eunus pretended to the gift of prophecy, and
appeared to breathe flames of fire from his mouth. He not only promised
them success, but joined in the enterprise himself. Having assembled to
the number of about 400 men, they suddenly attacked Enna, and, being
joined by their fellow-citizens within the town, quickly made themselves
masters of it. Great excesses were committed, and almost all the freemen
were put to death with horrid tortures. Eunus had, while yet a slave,
prophesied that he should become king. He now assumed the royal diadem,
and the title of King Antiochus. Sicily was at this time swarming with
slaves, a great proportion of them Syrians, who flocked to the standard
of their countryman and fellow-bondsman. The revolt now became general,
and the island was delivered over to the murderous fury of men maddened
by oppression, cruelty, and insult. The Praetors, who first led armies
against them, were totally defeated; and in B.C. 134 it was thought
necessary to send the Consul C. Fulvius Flaccus to subdue the
insurrection. But neither he, nor the Consul of the following year,
succeeded in this object; and it was not till B.C. 132 that the Consul
P. Rupilius brought the war to an end by the capture of Tauromenium and
Enna, the two strong-holds of the insurgents. The life of Eunus was
spared, probably with the intention of carrying him to Rome, but he died
in prison at Morgantia.

About the same time died Attalus Philometor, the last king of Pergamus,
leaving no children (B.C. 133). He beqeuathed his kingdom and treas