Roman woman with metal mirror and slave.
Photo: Linda Spashett
Slavery in the Roman World
Roman Slave Laws
Roman Gladiators
Slaves in Roman Society
Treatment of Slaves
Saturnalia
Resistance and Slave Revolts
Overview of the Beginnings of slavery in North America in the 1600s and 1700s
Though slavery was a widespread institution throughout the ancient world, ancient Rome was the most reliant on slave labor and had the most slaves among its population.
Source: (Public Broadcasting Service. (2006). The Roman Empire in the First Century: Slaves and Freemen. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
Slaves in Rome
Slavery under the Romans was slowly replaced with new economic force during the late empire-- wage workers who provided cheap labor without initial cost that slave owners had to pay for slaves.
Video on Slavery in Ancient Rome
Slavery was a part of daily Roman life. In the second century AD, Gaius, a Roman juror wrote a textbook detailing Roman law pertaining to slaves. The laws he recorded dealt with multiple concerns surrounding Roman slavery including:
Women and Slavery in Ancient Rome
Who Were the Gladiators of Ancient Rome?
10 Things You May Not Know about Roman Gladiators from the History Channel
More information on Gladiators
The Colosseum Virtual Walking Tour in 4k
Gladiators were primarily male. However, there is strong evidence to suggest that not all Gladiators were male. The famed Roman Historian, Dio Cassius, discusses these female gladiators when talking about the transgressions of Emperor Nero.
"There was another exhibition...when men and women not only of the equestrian but even of the senatorial order appeared as performers in the orchestra, in the Circus, and in the hunting-theatre, like those who are held in lowest esteem…; they drove horses, killed wild beasts and fought as gladiators, some willingly and some sore against their will." Click here to see full quote.
More evidence of female gladiators can be found in the archaeological record. To your right there is a statue of a woman holding some kind of tool in a loin cloth.
This is odd to say the least as James Owen from National Geographic points out.
Link here for full article
Click here for Smithsonian Depiction of Female Gladiators
These female gladiators are suspected of being used as a way to bring something exotic to the colosseum.
This trend was clearly suspected within the historical community because a female gladiator makes an appearance in Ridley Scott's Oscar winning film, Gladiator.
Click Here for Interactive Gladiator Learning game by BBC
Slaves served a number of functions. The institution of slavery impacted all areas of life in ancient Rome.
(Public Broadcasting Service. (2006). The Roman Empire in the First Century: Gladiators. Retrieved February 7, 2010 from http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/gladiators.html)
Many slave owners truly respected their slaves, as did Cicero, whose slave became sick, on a journey. Cicero returned to Rome, but paid for the best doctor and care for him, until he returned.
Photo of artifact in the Archaeological Museum in Milan, Italy: A slave brings to his master the tablets to write
Though some masters claimed to treat their slaves humanely, this was the exception to the rule.
Slaves were subjected to severe punishments, torture, abuse, and deplorable working condition. Masters often sexually abused their female slaves.
There were strict laws that prohibited Roman citizens from hiding escaped slaves. There are reports of slaves revolting against their owners—an occurrence that sometimes resulted in the owner’s murder.
When slaves were executed by crucifixion when they were sentenced to punishment by death (Duiker, W.J. & Spielvogel, J.J. (2009). Essential World History Volume I (Enhanced 3rd Edition). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth).
Roman owners sometimes freed their slaves-- either outright or by allowing them to purchase their freedom.
This possibility served as an incentive to be obedient and hard working. However, slaves who received their freedom in such an informal way did not become citizens, and any property they had amassed was given over to their former owners when the manumitted slaves died.
Formal manumission (granting of freedom) was performed by a magistrate. Freed slaves were entitled to full Roman citizenship, the only exception being that they were not allowed to hold government office. Just as enslavement was inherited, the granting of formal manumission also freed former-slaves' children (Public Broadcasting Service. (2006). The Roman Empire in the First Century: Slaves and Freemen. Retrieved February 7, 2010 from http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/slaves_freemen.html).
Click here for PBS lesson plan on the importance of slavery in the growth of the Roman Empire
Working IX to V in Ancient Rome and Greece. Short audio clip from NPR about the odd jobs that more unusual jobs the Romans employed slaves for
Saturnalia by Antoine Callet (1783)
During the winter solstice, the Romans would hold a week long festival to honor the Roman god of harvest, Saturn.
Saturnalia: Watch video and read article for more in depth overview
Resistance and Slave Revolts
Toward the end of the 2nd century BCE, there were large-scale slave revolts in Sicily.
The real Spartacus A documentary on Spartacus and his rebellion
"Resisting Slavery in Ancient Rome"- Article by Keith Bradley in the BBC.
Spartacus: More Than a Slave Revolt
Additional Information:
As Roman law was inconsistent on slavery, the master had power over each slave, including the option to kill them. Slaves did not have any rights and they were considered as property. There were also people whose jobs it was to torture slaves called the carnefices. They would impose punishments such as ripping off the fingernails of the slaves and also by crushing their hands with weighty objects (click here for more information).
Some masters were very kind to their slaves, offering them rewards for loyal service. Some slave-holders treated their slaves vary humanely, as Pliny writes about his slaves:
"I am very upset by the illness among my slaves. Some of them have actually died, including even younger men. In cases like this I find comfort in two thoughts. I am always ready to give my slaves their freedom, so I don’t think their deaths so untimely if they die free men. I also permit my slaves to make a “will,” which I consider legally binding."
Pliny, //Letters// VIII.16
Other slave-holders were not as humane in their relations with their slaves. Cato gives this advice to Romans about slaves and agriculture:
"Let the farmer sell olive oil, if he has a good price, also his wine and his grain. Let him sell his surplus too: old oxen, an old plow, an old slave, a sick slave."
Cato, On Agriculture 2.3 (extracts) Advice for Keeping Slaves.
Slaves were keenly aware of their inferior positions and by way of protest sometimes tried to run away. Escaped slaves, when re-captured were branded the letters FUG (fugitīvus, runaway) on their foreheads.
Good site on the institution and functions of slavery in Rome: www.tribunesandtriumphs.org.
Sources
1. Answers Corporation, (2007). Answers.com. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from Answers.com Web site: http://www.answers.com/topic/slavery-in-ancient-rome
2. Lyn , Mclean (Ed.). (1995). Ecce Romani, A Latin Reading Program. London: Longman Group Ltd.
3. Crystal, Ellie (2007). Slavery in Ancient Rome. Retrieved March 22, 2007, from Ancient Rome Web site: http://www.crystalinks.com/romeslavery.html
4. Mirza, Smair and Tsang, Jason (2006). Slavery. Retrieved March 22, 2007, from Rome Exposed Web site: http://www.classicsunveiled.com/romel/html/slavery.html
5. Saturnalia (2007). Retrieved May 11, 2013, from Encyclopedia Romana web site: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/calendar/saturnalia.html