Leo Caesius
Banned
I think another thing that we're neglecting here is the fact that the sort of slavery that most people think about when they hear the word "slavery", namely plantation slavery, may have been typical of the Romans or the New World, but was not the norm throughout history or the world. Most of the slaves that were conquered in the Mediterranean basin were either put to work in the galleys or served in a variety of domestic capacities--they were not generally employed in agricultural work.
Even if the climate and diseases were not such a concern south of the Sahara, there simply would not be sufficient demand for slaves imported from abroad, since the demand could easily be met through local prisoners of war and the like. In the absence of a large navy or plantation-based economy, the demand will never grow large enough to change this.
Even if the climate and diseases were not such a concern south of the Sahara, there simply would not be sufficient demand for slaves imported from abroad, since the demand could easily be met through local prisoners of war and the like. In the absence of a large navy or plantation-based economy, the demand will never grow large enough to change this.