The Familia the slave household

Familia Rustica and Familia Urbana General division, not a geographic division but primarily a legal division based on the type of work carried out General division, not a geographic division but primarily a legal division based on the type of work carried out i.e. slaves working inside the house such as cubicularii (bed chamber slaves) were considered members of the familia urbana i.e. slaves working inside the house such as cubicularii (bed chamber slaves) were considered members of the familia urbana Agricultural field workers – familia rustica Agricultural field workers – familia rustica Familia rustica considered inferior to familia urbana Familia rustica considered inferior to familia urbana Wiedemann # 126 Wiedemann # 126

Agricultural Slavery: Sources Genre of Agricultural handbooks popular in late Republican Period: target audience the wealthy landowning class. Genre of Agricultural handbooks popular in late Republican Period: target audience the wealthy landowning class. Advice on all matters associated with the management of large country estates, including the use and management of slaves Advice on all matters associated with the management of large country estates, including the use and management of slaves Major hand-book writers: Major hand-book writers: Columella Columella Varro Varro Cato the Elder Cato the Elder

How do we evaluate this type of source? Are agricultural hand-books a reliable source for slavery in the country-side?? Do these works have any biases we have to keep in mind?

limitations Agricultural andbooks were written by slave-owning class Agricultural andbooks were written by slave-owning class Varro, Columella, Cato wrote handbooks for Italian estates not for other regions of the Roman empire Varro, Columella, Cato wrote handbooks for Italian estates not for other regions of the Roman empire

Wiedemann # 147 Columella Wiedemann # 147 Columella # 148 Varro # 148 Varro # 149 Columella # 149 Columella # 150 Varro # 150 Varro # 151 Cato # 151 Cato # 157 Columella # 157 Columella

1.What does the advice in the handbooks tell us about the slave-owners?

Did you notice parallels between the lives of Roman agricultural slaves and the experience of slaves in the account of Frederick Douglass? Did you notice parallels between the lives of Roman agricultural slaves and the experience of slaves in the account of Frederick Douglass?

ILS 7367 (Teate Marrucinorum, Italy) ILS 7367 (Teate Marrucinorum, Italy) “To Hippocrates, slave and farm-manager of Plautius, by the farm household to whom he gave orders respectfully.” “To Hippocrates, slave and farm-manager of Plautius, by the farm household to whom he gave orders respectfully.” ILS 8536 (Rome) ILS 8536 (Rome) “To the departed spirit of Terentia Thisbe. Terentia Selicia made this for her wet-nurse.” “To the departed spirit of Terentia Thisbe. Terentia Selicia made this for her wet-nurse.”

Landownership and Slavery Wealth of the Roman elite was based on agricultural land-ownership Wealth of the Roman elite was based on agricultural land-ownership Surplus production provided land-owners with otium – leisure - important mark of wealth Surplus production provided land-owners with otium – leisure - important mark of wealth otium essential to pursue education and participation in public life; otium essential to pursue education and participation in public life; Large-scale slavery allowed wealthy elite to become wealthier and the gap between elite and the poor citizens widen without having to exploit the labour of free Roman citizens and risking resistance to military service on which Roman state relied (Keith Hopkins) Large-scale slavery allowed wealthy elite to become wealthier and the gap between elite and the poor citizens widen without having to exploit the labour of free Roman citizens and risking resistance to military service on which Roman state relied (Keith Hopkins)

Latifundia New form of farming by wealthy land-owners developed with conquest of the Greek East and large influx of slaves into Italy New form of farming by wealthy land-owners developed with conquest of the Greek East and large influx of slaves into Italy Many wealthy land-owners accumulated large tracts of land; seized ager publicus; often swallowed up small farms of peasant farmers; problems with displaced and landless; by 2 nd century BC – frequent demands for land- redistribution used as political tool in crisis and civil wars of the late Republic Many wealthy land-owners accumulated large tracts of land; seized ager publicus; often swallowed up small farms of peasant farmers; problems with displaced and landless; by 2 nd century BC – frequent demands for land- redistribution used as political tool in crisis and civil wars of the late Republic Latifundia worked with large gangs of slaves Latifundia worked with large gangs of slaves Many practiced monoculture: olives, wine, grain, etc., for maximum profit, often aimed at the luxury market of city of Rome Many practiced monoculture: olives, wine, grain, etc., for maximum profit, often aimed at the luxury market of city of Rome

Familia rustica versus familia Urbana Generally agricultural slaves had lower status than household slaves Generally agricultural slaves had lower status than household slaves Life on the farm was hard; labour intensive; exposure to bad weather; particularly bad off were chain-gang slaves Life on the farm was hard; labour intensive; exposure to bad weather; particularly bad off were chain-gang slaves Few opportunities for manumission – peculium unlikely Few opportunities for manumission – peculium unlikely