Slaves of ancient Rome

Slaves of ancient Rome

Slavery was deeply ingrained in Rome’s culture, as it was in many other ancient societies. A large portion of the labor and hard work that went into creating and maintaining the Roman Empire was done by slaves.

Did they have a lot of slaves?

Slaves made up a sizable portion of the population in Rome and throughout Italy. Although historians are unsure of the precise number, between 20% and 30% of the population was enslaved. Up to one-third of Rome’s population was enslaved in the early years of the Roman Empire.

How did someone become a slave?

The majority of slaves were taken prisoner during wartime. Roman forces frequently took captives from newly conquered regions as their empire grew. Additional slaves were purchased from pirates and slave dealers who brought captives to Rome from other countries.

Slaves’ offspring also ended up as slaves. Criminals were occasionally sold into slavery. To pay off their obligations, some even sold themselves into slavery.

What work did slaves do?

Slaves performed a wide range of jobs around the empire. Some slaves toiled long hours on farms or in the Roman mines. Some slaves held skilled positions in corporate accountancy or teaching. The kind of job mostly relied on the slave’s prior training and expertise.

Slaves came in two primary varieties: public and private. The Roman government owned servi publici, or public slaves. They could labor for a government official, in the emperor’s mines, or on public building projects. A person owned servi privati, or private slaves. They held positions as farm laborers, housekeepers, and artisans.

Were they treated well?

A slave’s treatment was determined by their owner. While some slaves were probably treated nearly like family, others were probably abused and worked to death. Slaves were often seen as valuable property, so treating them well made sense. Slaves occasionally received compensation from their owners for their labor.

Were slaves set free?

Indeed, masters occasionally freed their slaves (a practice known as “manumission”). Slaves were occasionally able to buy their own freedom. Former slaves were referred to as freedmen or freedwomen. They were free, yet they were still considered “freed slaves.” Roman citizens, emancipated slaves were not eligible to run for public office.

Slave Rebellions

Rome’s slaves organized and staged multiple uprisings throughout the city’s history. Three significant uprisings occurred, dubbed the “Servile Wars.” The gladiator Spartacus’ Third Servile War is arguably the most well-known of them.

Facts About Slavery in Ancient Rome

• The children of freed slaves could hold public office.
• It was against Roman law to help a runaway slave. Captured runaways were punished severely and sometimes killed as an example to the other slaves.
• The Emperor Pertinax was the son of a freedman. He was only emperor for a few months, however, before he was assassinated.
• During the Roman festival Saturnalia, roles were often reversed between masters and slaves. The masters sometimes served their slaves a fancy banquet and treated them as equals.

Slaves of ancient Rome

Read also: Family Life in Ancient Rome