SLAVERY IN ROMAN EMPIRE

Jhon Simkin

Slavery existed in Roman society from an early stage of its development. There were several
ways you could become a slave in Rome. Some became slaves because they could not pay back
the money they had borrowed. The government would also take people into slavery if they
could not pay their taxes. There were also many cases of poor people selling their children as
slaves to richer neighbours.

With the growth in the empire, the number of slaves in Rome grew rapidly. Roman generals in
their campaigns abroad sent back thousands of captured soldiers to be sold as slaves. In the
campaign against the ​Gauls​ (59 to 51 BC) it is reported that ​Julius Caesar​ and his army over a
million people were captured as slaves.

The demand for slaves in Rome had also grown during this period. As more and more men
were now needed for the army in order to extend and maintain the ​Roman Empire​, there were
fewer men available to work the fields.

Slave traders would follow the Roman army abroad on their campaigns. After a battle they
would buy the defeated soldiers and their families, and then arrange for them to be sent back
to ​Rome​ and the other major settlements in the empire.

Prisoners were taken to the slave-markets where they were paraded naked, with placards
around their necks explaining their best and worst qualities. If information on the placards was
later found to be untrue, the buyer could take the seller to court.

Slave prices would depend to a large extent on how many were available. After a successful
military campaign, prices would fall. Whereas after a long period without war, prices would
increase.
Sculptured relief of slaves fighting wild animals in the ​Roman Games​.

A skilled labourer would fetch 2,500 denarii, while a rich Roman would pay as much as 6,000
denarii for an attractive young girl. G ​ reek slaves​ were highly valued as they were often
well-educated. Greek slaves were used by the rich as teachers, doctors and librarians. They
also acted as private artists and musicians.

Rich families would also use slaves as bodyguards, cooks, waiters, doormen, cleaners,
gardeners, hairdressers, dressmakers and maids. Rich Romans were usually large landowners
so they also had slaves working on their farms. It was common practice to have them in
work-teams of ten slaves. Branded on the forehead, chained together and guarded by a
foreman carrying a whip, there was little chance of escape.

Slaves who did manage to run away were guilty of theft (they had stolen their master's
property), and if caught they would suffer terrible tortures as a means of frightening other
slaves.

There were also several slave revolts. The most famous of these was led by a slave
called ​Spartacus​. He was a shepherd from Thrace who had been captured by the Romans and
sent to Capua to become a gladiator. In 73 BC Spartacus and eighty companions escaped from
the gladiatorial school. The group then ambushed a convoy of carts taking weapons to another
town.

When other slaves in the area heard about the success of the revolt, they ran away from their
masters and joined Spartacus' campaign for freedom. During the next two years Spartacus'
slave army defeated four Roman armies. After two years Spartacus' army numbered 90,000
men and controlled most of southern Italy. However, they were unable to break out of Italy
and reach their homelands.

In 71 BC the Roman senate sent a large army to deal with Spartacus. Outnumbered, Spartacus'
army was defeated at a place called ​Apulia​. The 6,000 slaves who were taken prisoner were
crucified along the ​Appian Way​ (the main road into Rome). Their bodies were left to hang on
the crosses for several months as a warning to other slaves who might consider the possibility
of rebelling against their Roman masters.

Not all slaves were treated badly. The master of ​Terence​, an African slave, was so impressed
with his intelligence that he educated him and then set him free. Later he became one of
Rome's most important writers.

Some Romans believed that you would get more work out of slaves if you treated them well.
They would pay a small allowance into a fund for their slaves. When there was enough money
in the fund the slaves could buy their freedom. As the owner could stop paying the money into
the fund if the slave misbehaved, this system was a good way of achieving complete
obedience. Also, the owner could arrange that slaves would only have enough money to buy
their freedom when they were too old to work. The man could then use the money to buy a
new young slave while the old slave, unable to work, would be forced to rely on charity to stay
alive.

The government also owned slaves, and used them to provide public services. They built and
maintained roads, bridges, aqueducts and bath houses. Slaves are also reported to have made
several important inventions. In fact, what we now choose to call the great Roman civilisation
was based on the labour and skills of slaves.
After Emperor ​Constantine​ became converted to ​Christianity​, the life of slaves improved
slightly. For example, a law was passed in AD 319 that made it illegal to kill slaves. Owners of
slaves were also forced to stop branding their slaves on the face and instead had to put their
mark on the hands and legs.

However, Christianity did not bring an end to slavery. Christians argued that J​ esus​ never
criticised slavery in his sermons. The Church not only refrained from attacking the system of
slavery but continued to use large numbers of slaves to work monastery lands.

The Romans were not the first people to use slaves, but no one in history has relied on them as
much as they did. It has been estimated that when the Roman Empire was at its most
powerful, two million out of the six million people living in Italy were slaves.

By ​John Simkin​ (​john@spartacus-educational.com​) © September 1997 (updated January 2020).