Slavery in the Roman Empire was like modern slavery in the way that it was an abusive and degrading institution. (Devillier Donegan) Tied into the history of Rome, slavery played a main role in not only the production of Rome but also the daily life of every citizen. Most of those eligible to own slaves owned slaves, they were used for every task almost. From washing clothes, building projects, and harvesting crops slavery was a common practice. (Carr) A family of Slaves belonged to their owner as property, this means that they could be mistreated soled and rented out. Although Roman slavery was similar to modern slavery in the way that it mistreated the slaves. But it differed from modern slavery that the slaves were not specified to race. Slaves in the Roman Empire were often prisoners of war, captured persons, or slaves bought from other states. During the rule of Augustus slavery in the Roman Empire increased radically do to the amount of prisoners obtained, and the children being sold into slavery to support their family. (Kreis) People could not only sell their children into slavery but in harsh economic times or if the person themselves were in severe debt; they could sell themselves into slavery in hopes of paying off their debt. But slaves were not always uneducated; the well educated slaves were often used to educate the owner’s children. But the educated slaves were not always as easy to obtain as a normal slave; the price of a slave could range from 500 denarii being a young and not very useful slave to 875,000 denarii being a slave who can educate children and other important tasks. The slaves that would teach the children were known as paedagogus and were highly cherished in wealthy families. (Caracopino, 104) Also unlike modern slavery, depending on their condition, slaves could be freed by winning it through gladiatorial battles, buying it, or by eventually working for a certain number of years.
Slavery in the Roman Empire
Slavery in the Roman Empire was like modern slavery in the way that it was an abusive and degrading institution. (Devillier Donegan) Tied into the history of Rome, slavery played a main role in not only the production of Rome but also the daily life of every citizen. Most of those eligible to own slaves owned slaves, they were used for every task almost. From washing clothes, building projects, and harvesting crops slavery was a common practice. (Carr) A family of Slaves belonged to their owner as property, this means that they could be mistreated soled and rented out. Although Roman slavery was similar to modern slavery in the way that it mistreated the slaves. But it differed from modern slavery that the slaves were not specified to race. Slaves in the Roman Empire were often prisoners of war, captured persons, or slaves bought from other states. During the rule of Augustus slavery in the Roman Empire increased radically do to the amount of prisoners obtained, and the children being sold into slavery to support their family. (Kreis) People could not only sell their children into slavery but in harsh economic times or if the person themselves were in severe debt; they could sell themselves into slavery in hopes of paying off their debt. But slaves were not always uneducated; the well educated slaves were often used to educate the owner’s children. But the educated slaves were not always as easy to obtain as a normal slave; the price of a slave could range from 500 denarii being a young and not very useful slave to 875,000 denarii being a slave who can educate children and other important tasks. The slaves that would teach the children were known as paedagogus and were highly cherished in wealthy families. (Caracopino, 104) Also unlike modern slavery, depending on their condition, slaves could be freed by winning it through gladiatorial battles, buying it, or by eventually working for a certain number of years.
Works Cited:
Carcopino, Jerome. Daily Life in ancient Rome. 2nd. New Haven, CN: Yale University Press, 1968.
Halsall, Paul. "Slavery in the Roman Republic." Ancient History Sourcebook June 1998 3 Dec 2008 <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/slavery-romrep1.html>.
Carr, Karen. "Roman Slaves." Ancient Roman People 25 Feburary 2007 3 Dec 2008 <http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/romans/people/slaves.htm>.
Kreis, Steven. "Slavery." Lecture 13 A Brief Social History of the Roman Empire 11 October 2006 3 Dec 2008 <http://www.historyguide.org/ancient/lecture13b.html>.
"Slaves & Freemen." The Roman Empire in the First Century 2006 3 Dec 2008 <http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/slaves_freemen.html>.