- The Servile Wars (Servus is Latin for Slave), refers to three Roman Slave Rebellions that took place between 135-71 BCE in Sicily or near Naples during the Roman Republic.
- There were no more Slave Rebellions after these wars.
The Reason for the Wars
- The First War was a reaction by the slaves to the brutal oppression of their Roman owners.
- The Second War was a reaction by the slaves to the cancellation of Manumission. After the Senate had issued orders for Manumission of all Slaves who were Allies of Rome, in order to raise soldiers for the War against the Cimbri and the Teutones. When the Governor of Sicily freed 800 slaves and then re-enslaved them under pressure from the Landowners, the Revolt began.
- The Third War was the result of a group of Gladiators under Spartacus escaping to form an army, which was then joined by thousands of slaves.
The Three Servile Wars
- First Servile War (135-132 BCE)
- In Sicily led by Eunus and Cleon.
- Second Servile War (104-100 BCE)
- Also in Sicily led by Athenion and Tryphon.
- Third Servile War (73-71 BCE)
- Led by Spartacus.
The Outcome
- There were no more Slave Rebellions after these wars, for two reasons:
- Partly because of the brutality used. After the first revolt, 20,000 slaves were crucified. After the second revolt, 1,000 captured slaves were sent to Rome to fight the beasts in the arena. They refused and killed each other instead. After the third revolt was suppressed, 6,000 slaves were crucified along the Via Appia.
- Mainly because the Act of Manumissio allowed Roman Slaves to become free Roman citizens. Slaves knew they had the opportunity of at some stage becoming free and joining Roman Society. After being freed, they would become Freedmen and join Roman Society in a separate class called the Libertini.
Sicily