The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-12


tably to be unpopular among the middle
olAsS Of the community. and that q fresh
revolt OF the allies was always q possible
contingency. Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica and
Spain with the valley. Of the Pc. oonst-
tuteda an empire already too extensive. in the
opinion Of many intelligent observers, and
10 these 1t seemed unwise to undertake
the conquest. government and protection
Of new andmore distant countries.
For a time Scip!e's conservative policy
prevailed. The Macedonian war closed
without increase Of territory. Greece and
the Greek cities Of Asia were liberated from
Macedon. and King Philip wa forced TO
dlsband almost his entire army and feet
and to pay an annual tribute OF fifty talents
for ten years. Slaves and territory, silver
and gold, came In from the warfare in the
valley OF the Pc, in Spain and in Liguria;
while the campaign against Antiochus,
a direct outcome OF the Macedonian war,
yielded enormous plumber in the precious
metals, besides the annual tribute OF one
thousand talents imposed for twelve years
on the King OF Syria. There were no an
n~eXations, however; the territory taken
from Antiochus was divided between
Rhodes and Pergamus; and when the
Syrian War was followed by an expedition
against the Galatians, Celtic tribes isolated
in Asia Minor, tribesmen were left In undis-
turbed possession OF their country.
These wars, however. did not fail TO leave
their mark upon Italy. Prosperity and the
infection OF the commercial spirit slowly
transformed the old manner Of life. SOL
diers who had seen the secrets of the East
and the contractors and landlords who had
fed and housed them abroad could not con-
tinue contentedly in the fashions Of their
ancestors. Not that as yet the primitive
customs of ancient Italy had been infiu-
enced greatly by the rehnements of civili-
zation; for in ia B. c. Rom was still looked
down upon by the Greeks as an overgrown
village. without a single fine street or palace
or monument; even in the capital the houses
OF the nobility were invariably small and
destitute of ornaments; and the old fash
toned education of the young remained in
full force. Rome, in a word, was still too
ignorant TO take many lessons from Greece.
The passion for enjoyment, indeed, 80 long
restrained, burst out in all the primitive
and animal ~indulgences, in gluttony and
sensuality, in the craving for violent excite
ment and in that gross form Of ostentation
and display which marks the first blunder-
ing efforts Of the countryman grown rich.
II should, however, be noted that at Rome
the first public baths were opened soon after
the second Punic War. and the year ia
B. c, saw the establishment Of the first
bakehouse for the benefit of unmarried
tradesmen and laborers who could not get
their bread made at home by slaves. Many
Greek Workmen we're brought to Rome by
returning Generals 70 assist in their feeti-
walls and triumphs. Multitudes Of foreign
ers and Italians opened taverns and baths.
set UP as cobblers, dyers, jewellers and
tailors, or became theatrical managers or
playrights. The country people now began
to fock TO Rome in such numbers that in
1877 and III B. C. the Latin towns lodged
complaints with the Senate, The price OF
land in the metropolis increased, Of course,
with the population; wooden lodging houses.
many stories high, managed or sublet by a
freedman or a lessee, brought in a large
income; for the laborers and small trades
men OF Rome would pay heavy rents for a
single room. In the suburbs high prices
were paid for the lease OF market gardens.
running water for dye works. or lakes and
hot springs for baths.
Signor Ferrero leaves for the last the
most far reaching effect OF this era OF pros
perity. 1t provoked an enormous increase
in the slave trade. By the time the inhu-
ences mentioned had been at work for a
generation there was hardly any one in
italy who was not in need of fresh labor.
Occupiers Of State land required shepherds;
the contractors required labor for public
works or military equipment; the State re-
ouired it for the public services; traders for
the crews Of their ships; the wealthy for
domestic service or for gladiatorial shows;
small proprietors and the middle class gem
orally to relieve them of the more distaste-
full part OF their daily work.. In the ancient
world, however, any nation which through
a rapid increase OF wealth and power found
itself suddenly in want OF a large amount
of labor could never find a sufficient num-
Der Of free men willing TO work for wages
without any other inducement beyond their
own need or ambition. Under such cir
cumstances the anoients were always forced
back upon slaves. in the case Of Rome in
the first half Of the second century B. c.
a slave traffic was organized on the most
gigantic scale. Slave dealers found heir
way not only into the military encamp-
mentB, WneTS ldh NopblNVS "VIo
promptly sold of cheap to the officers and
common soldiers. or to the traders who
followed the army, but also throughout
the confines of the empire. wherever petty
monarchs and savage chiefs, like the kings
Of Numidia and Mauritania. we're ready TO
sell prisoners Of war, or for a consideration
could be persuaded TO part with their "
subjects. From furtheet Gaul and Ger
many and the Caucasus long raw OF
fettered slaves, white as their prospective
masters, were continually descending TO
the shores OF the Mediterranean or the Black
Sea. The dealers. native and Italian, who
awaited their arrival. paid the chiefs or
their agents in wine and salt and the pro-
cious metals and embarked the slaves
either directly to Italy or indirectly TO Delos,
where they were included In the general
stock Of Asiatic commodities. a large
number OF Italians owed their riches to this
trafio in human flesh; some, adopting
milder but no less lucrative methods. occu-
pied themselves with the education OF
slaves. buying them at a tender age and
instructing them in profitable arts or drill
ing them In workmanship, to be let out as
gladiators at expensive funerals.
III.
Our author thinks that on the whole the
first thirty years OF the second century B.. {.
formed, 30 far as ROM was concerned. one
Of those happy epochs when my man can