un ts ▁after ▁lower ▁class ▁country ▁prov inci als ▁( to ▁be ▁sold ▁as ▁slaves ), ▁all ▁contributed ▁to ▁a ▁constant ▁supply ▁of ▁new ▁slaves ▁at ▁very ▁cheap ▁price , ▁which ▁made ▁it ▁more ▁prof itable ▁for ▁their ▁master s ▁to ▁wear ▁them ▁out ▁by ▁un rem itting ▁labor , ▁har sh ness , ▁expos ure ▁and ▁mal nut r ition , ▁to ▁be ▁cheap ly ▁replaced , ▁than ▁to ▁take ▁proper ▁care ▁for ▁their ▁n our ishment , ▁health , ▁and ▁accommod ation . ▁According ly ▁the ▁plant ation ▁system ▁which ▁took ▁shape ▁in ▁Sic ily ▁led ▁to ▁thousands ▁of ▁slaves ▁dying ▁every ▁year ▁of ▁to il ▁in ▁the ▁fields ▁from ▁dawn ▁to ▁d usk ▁with ▁ch ains ▁around ▁their ▁legs , ▁and ▁being ▁locked ▁up ▁in ▁suff oc ating ▁sub ter rane an ▁p its ▁by ▁night . ▁For ▁food , ▁the ▁slaves ▁had ▁to ▁turn ▁to ▁band it ry ▁to ▁surv ive . ▁The ▁Roman ▁Senate ▁failed ▁to ▁take ▁measures ▁to ▁cur b ▁this ▁dangerous ▁t endency , ▁which ▁converted ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁beautiful ▁and ▁fert ile ▁provinces ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ▁into ▁a ▁hor rible ▁den ▁of ▁mis ery , ▁brig and age , ▁at roc ity ▁and ▁death . ▁ ▁Serv ile ▁War ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 3 5 ▁BC , ▁the ▁plant ation ▁slaves ▁in ▁Sic ily ▁finally ▁rose ▁in ▁revol t , ▁having ▁as ▁their ▁head ▁a ▁certain ▁E un us ▁of ▁Sy rian ▁origin , ▁who , ▁as ▁a ▁conj urer ▁and ▁self - proc