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Slavery was central to the Roman economy, perhaps more so than any other ancient civilization. Slavery was a minor institution in the early years of the Republic. This gradually changed as Rome expanded through conquest. Slaves were were primarily war captives, both captured wariors and the women and children of conquered populations. The offspring of these enslaved people provided a vast slave work force. The victors in battle might enslave the losers rather than killing them. Slavery in Rome were major components of the work force. The performed virtually every occupation required in the Romn economy. The citize farmer was the bed-rock of the early Republic. Gradually farming with the influx of slaves shifted to estate slavery which relied on chain gangs to work the fields. Large numbers of slaves were also used to work the mines, commonly under atrocious conditions under brutal overloads. Slaves were also employed as servants and artisans in the cities.
Slaves working as domestics in private houshold had the best opportunity to engratiate themselves with their masters and perhap earn their freedom. Slaves were drawn from widly differing peoples and there was no association with race. Slaves might be blond, blue eyed Anglo-Saxons from Britania or blacks from Sahara as well as evry other racial type. Slavery in Rome had no racial basis. Even those of Italian stock were enslaved. It was thus impossible to tell from one's physical appearance if one was a slave. This complicated control. The Romn Senate debated establishiung a destinctive dress for slaves. In the end, the Senate decided against a slave attire, partly because they decided it was dangerous because it would show the slaves just how numerous they were. As in the Americn South, slavery was justified on the basis of the natural inferiority of certain individuals. There were three Servile Wars or slave revolts in the 2nd and 1st century BC. Rome is noted for the barbarity with which slaves were treated. This may in part be due to the martial tradition of Rome and contempt for defeated peoples. It may also reflect the trails of the Servile Wars and need to subject such a large part of the population.
Slavery was central to the Roman economy, perhaps more so than any other ancient civilization. We known that slavery was a common practice in the Middle East and throughout the Mediterranean. Although information is limited on slavery in many other civilizations. The number of slaves was never calculted with any precission. Some estimates polace the slave population as high as 40 percent of the population, other estimates are lower down to about 25 percent. The slave populations of other Italian cities were lower, some authorities believe sustantially lower although actual date on individual cities is very limited. The same is true of other provinces. Presumably the slave population of North Africa was relatively high as these were important agricultural areas. In some outlying provinces, the slave populations my have been very low. Some estimates are as low as 2-10 percent. Some information is available on individual cities. There was an important slave market located at Pergamum in modern Turkey. Estimtes suggest a slave population of over 30 percent. One estimate of the slave population in the mid-2nd century when the Empire was at its peak was over 15 percent. Slavery was thus of emense economic importance. Ome impact of slavery was on technology. Greek and Roman inventors made discoveries that could have led to the industrial revolution more than a century before it really occurred. This may well have been slavery made labor so cheap. Machinery thus did not provide the economic benefits that made it so important in the 18th century.
Slavery was a minor institution in the early years of the Republic. This gradually changed as Rome expanded through conquest. .As Rome consolidated its control of the Italian peninsula and began to conquer other areas of the Mediterranean, huge numbers of slves flowed into Rome and Italin provinces. The Roman victories over Carthage in the Punic Wars in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC removed the principal power capable of resisting Rome. Victories over Macedonia and Greece soon followed. Rome became the major power in the Mediterranean, it also fundamentally changed the social structure of Republican Rome. The Roman elite was exposed to luxury and privilege beyond their belief. The persuit of wealth, new conquests, and more slaves became the driving force behind Republican social and economic policies, but this destabalized the Republic's social structure. The Roman soial structure was first based on family farms or smll estates. These farms could, however, not compete with large estates run with cheap slave labor. This caused farms to fail or be sold to large landowners. Work for free labor dried up in the countrside. Unemployed rural workers drifted to Rome and other Italian cities. This eventully led to the fall of the Republic. Senatorial factions especially the elite (optimates) and social reformers (populares) competed for control of the Roman mob or lrgely unemployed free citizens. Julius Ceasar proved paticularly adept at appealing to the Roman mob.
After Constantine as the rise of Christianity to a state relgion, slavery became subject to regulation and humanitarian measures were implemented. Slavery in the Roman Empire never really ended.
In the last year of the Empire new economic forces were at work. As the economy turned down, the value od slaves declined. Farmers and entrpreneurs hesitated to make major investments thar might not pay off. Actually the fall of the Empire created may new slaves as RGerman barabrian rulers enslaved many. Town economies ith wage earners declines. New Germanic lords tied slaves to the land and large numbers became serfs in the Feudal system which emerged in Europe. This meant that that there was a ready labor source without costly investments in slaves.
Slaves were were primarily war captives, both captured wariors and the women and children of conquered populations. The offspring of these enslaved people provided a vast slave work force. The victors in battle might enslave the losers rather than killing them. Slavery in Rome were major components of the work force.
The legal status of Roman slaves was very definite. Roman law simply considered slaves as private property. As such their owner was free to dispose of them as he or she so desired. There was until the Christian error no limits on how a slave was treated. The owner had the choice of life and death. A slave could be put to death for the most trivial matter, it was entirely up to the owners discression. Some owners devised the most hideous methods of execution, such as feeding a troublesome slave to eels. Strangely a slave could serve as a witness in legal proceedings.
Slaves varied greatly un value. Talent, skill, and beauty were all important factors. Others fators were age and health. Talented slaves could serve as actors, singers, or other entrtainers. A wide range of skills could increase a slave's value and prospects for resonable conditions of servitude. Slaves might serve as accountants, artisans, bartenders, cooks, jewelers, medical doctors, scribes, and many other skilled occupations. These skilled slaves might command a price much higher than thevast number of agricultural and mining slaves destined to performed mannual labor.
Roman slaves could gain their freedom and become Roman citizens. A grateful master might free a particularly loyal slave. Some slaves earned money to purchase their freedom.
Slaves performed virtually every occupation required in the Roman economy. The citize farmer was the bed-rock of the early Republic. Gradually farming with the influx of slaves shifted to estate slavery which relied on chain gangs to work the fields. Large numbers of slaves were also used to work the mines, commonly under atrocious conditions under brutal overloads. Slaves were also employed as servants and artisans in the cities.
Slaves working as domestics in private houshold had the best opportunity to engratiate themselves with their masters and perhap earn their freedom. Although this all depended on the master. Conditions were the worst in mines and on the large country estates. An old Romam proverb said, "Every slave is an enemy." This some masters thoughonly harshness could keep slaves in line. Like the Stoic philosophers, Christians taught the brotherhood of humanity and urged kindness towards slaves, but they did not consider slaves equals in status. Gradually conditions improved, especially dueing the Christian era. Laws were implemented prohibiting mutilation and killing, but these laws were variously enforced.
Roman slaves were drawn from widly differing peoples and there was no association with race. Slaves might be blond, blue eyed Anglo-Saxons from Britania or blacks from Sahara as well as evry other racial type. Slavery in Rome had no racial basis. Even those of Italian stock were enslaved. It was thus impossible to tell from one's physical appearance if one was a slave. This complicated control. The Roman Senate debated establishiung a destinctive dress for slaves. In the end, the Senate decided against a slave attire, partly because they decided it was dangerous because it would show the slaves just how numerous they were.
As in the Americn South, slavery was justified on the basis of the natural inferiority of certain individuals.
Roman experienced three major slave revolts which are known colectively as the Servile Wars. The Servile Wars or slave revolts occurred in the 2nd and 1st century BC as he Roman Republic had gained major military victories anf huge numbers od slaves. . The first two occurred in Sicily, but documebntation is limited. They were supresed with considerable brutality. The third occurred in southern Italy and was kled by the gladiator Spatacus. It was eventually supresed by Crassus and Pompey with great cruety. The Spatacus Revolt was much larger and posed a real danger to Rome. It is better document than the other two slave revolts.
Rome is noted for the barbarity with which slaves were treated. This may in part be due to the martial tradition of Rome and contempt for defeated peoples. It may also reflect the trails of the Servile Wars and need to subject such a large part of the population.
Christianity has a major impact in bringing about th more humanitarian treatment of slaves. A factor here was Christian theology which taught the value of all human life. The Church never, however, questioned the institution of slavery itself.
The most important Christian philosopher of the afe, Saint Augustine, personally opposed slavery, but did not advocate abolition. Augustine did not think slavery could be abolished without threatening the Empire's social order. Augustine saw slavery as one of many evils flowing from man's original fall from grace. Not all bishops saw slavery as an evil and the Church held slaves of its own.
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