Slaves In Ancient Times

It is diíiicult lor a modern (o conceive the number of slaves that existed n the most populous Grcekand Italian cities in former times. The city of Corinth, the most commercial and opulent of Gieece, possessed within her walls forty-six myriads, or four hundrod and si.iy thousand. When Demetrius Phalereus took a censos of the population of Athens, froe, servile, and foreigners, there were found twentyone thousand citizens, ten thousand domiciled foreigners, and no less than four hundred thousand slaves. Nicias had one thousand slaves, whem he hired lo work in the silver mines of Thrnce, at an obulous, or l-2d. a day. iE-jinaije, n trading people, pos?essing many ships, bui a very sma!] territorial limi!, possesssd, accordingto Aristotle, Puur hundred and seventy thousand. Some of the citizens of Dardnnus possessed more than one thousand slaves. Many Roman families had ten thousand, or twenty thousand, oreven more, and these were kept nnd mainlained by them not always (br gain, but sometimos for more show and altendanoe. Smindyndas, a nativo of Sybaris, a town oelebrated for its volupiuuusness and accomplished luxury, look alongWith hhn, whé'n he went to his maninge, one thousand slaves, as ministrants to him, some of ilicm cooks, some poulterors, some fiühers, Sic. An immense number ofslavcs were mnintained by tho free inhnbitaots ofSicily; they frequently mutinied against thcir mnsters, andthrew the whole isliind into bloodsiicd and confusión ; np wards of one hundred rny.rinds are calculated to havo there perished ia these dreadful conflicts of emaucipation. The servile var in Italy w&6 O(juallyAt one time, one hundred and twonty thousand slaves were marching upon Rome, who were hoaded and directed by one Spartacus, a Thracian slave, who avenged tlie injured rights of nature upon his enslavers, ani made tliesupremacy of Rume herself to toiter under tn? force of his infuriated ailacks. At the close of the servüe war, no less than six thousand slaves were hnnged up, all the way from Rome to Capua. In Attica, the slaves svrought at Ihe mines with their feet shackled. The ancient Greeks were nol served in their houses by bought slaves, the younger served the eider. The city ofEphesus was founded by one thousand slaves who ran away from Samos. It is said that Julius Caesar crossedinto Brilain with but three slaves ;officiating as servan!s, and it is a slrange concidence that lis body was carried home by three servants from tho Señale house, where he was murdcrcd. Cato was wont to ride Vom Rome to the country, in tho most simple manner, wilh but one slave, sometimes no altendant at all - riding generally, with his valise under him for a saddle, somewhat in the style of a modern Jecent Anliburger minister.