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In antiquity, slavery was seen as the political consequence of one group dominating another, and people of any race, ethnicity, or place of origin might become slaves, including freeborn Romans. Slavery was practiced within all communities of the Roman Empire, including among Jews and Christians.
Slaves served in households, agriculture, mines, the military, workshops, construction and many services. As many as 1 in 3 of the population in Italy or 1 in 5 across the empire were slaves and upon this foundation of forced labour was built the entire edifice of the Roman state.
Roman slaves were known as “servi” or “servus” in Latin and were owned by other people and considered their property. Anyone could become a slave, and slaves in ancient Rome came from various sources, including war captives, debtors, criminals, and children born to slave parents.
What can a small, inscribed plate tell us about slavery in ancient Rome? Slavery played a significant role in Roman society. Enslaved people were in the city, the countryside, households and businesses, and ownership wasn't limited to elites.
Slavery was a pervasive and intrinsic part of ancient Rome's social and economic structure, with an estimated one-third of the empire's population being enslaved at its peak. From household servants to laborers, gladiators to skilled artisans, slaves played an essential role in the daily life of the ancient Romans.
Slavery in ancient Rome held a stigma that freed people found hard to shake off. Freeborn people would often view ex-slaves as socially inferior and vulgar. Latin literature provides us with some interesting examples of the much-maligned stereotype of the uncivilized freedman.
Slavery in ancient Rome differed from its modern forms in that it was not based on race. But like modern slavery, it was an abusive and degrading institution. Cruelty was commonplace.
The Roman Empire developed one of the largest and most economically and culturally integrated systems of slavery in world history. It thrived on a remarkably robust supply stream that included enslavement by birth, capture, sale from foreign and domestic sources, the...
Slavery was rife across the Roman Empire, an accepted and widespread practice in Roman society. Between 200 BC and 200 AD, it’s thought that roughly a quarter, or even a third, of the population of Rome was enslaved.
Discover all about Roman slavery with information on numbers of slaves, how much they cost, how they were treated and much more.