SLAVERY IN GREECE AND ROME A brief history

Slavery’s history in Greece Starting from the beginning the word “slave” has an ancient origin: it comes from medieval latin “sclavum” or “slavum”. OMERIC AGE: most of all slaves were women working as houseworkers or concubines; men were employed in agricultural works. 800-600: slaves’ market increased remarkably because of the colonization along Mediterranean coasts; during next centuries slaves became larger than other people.

SLAVES’ DIFFERENT TYPES HOUSEWORKERS SLAVES: they lived in best conditions because not in chains WOMEN SLAVES WORKING IN FIELDS (IN THE COUNTRYSIDE) SLAVES WORKING IN A MINE SLAVES IN CHAINS ON THE SHIPS Besides that between slaves there were also teachers, book-keepers: their prices depend on market IERODULIA: da IEROS, SACRED AND DOULOS, SLAVE, a slave employed in the temple

HOW BECOMING A SLAVE If a man was born free can become a slave in several ways: SLAVERY FOR ABANDONAMENT: in some cases children were abandoned on a mountain by their parents and then someone else found them SLAVERY BECAUSE OF DEBT: a debtor, if cannot refund the creditor, can become his property. ETHNIC SLAVERY COMMERCIAL SLAVERY SLAVERY BECAUSE OF THE WAR (ANDRAPON): if someone was captured in battle by an enemy, this would become a slave.

RIGHTS AND DUTIES FOR SLAVES IN ANCIENT GREECE they can’t fight they can’t participate to legislative assemblies The slaves had only few guarantees: they could not be killed without a trial they couldn’t be sold outside their country The only positive perspective was the EMANCIPATION: a slave can buy his/her freedom by money and, for an exemption, as a reward for fighting in the navy or army.

SPARTA AND ATHENS SPARTA Historians make a difference between chattel-slavery and ilotic slavery, taking definition from spartan constitution ATHENS Polis needed salves to give citizens the chance of participating to the political life: the slaves worked in fields and the citizens can exercise their rights.

SLAVERY’S HISTORY AT ROME Roman gratefullness and her brightness depend on a well-organized society. Different causes of slavery during roman empire: WAR IMPRISONEMENT: ius gentium established that the one who is captured by enemy becomes a slave NOXAE DEDITIO: the dominus can commit a filius/pupillus to refund someone who has been offended by him ADDICTIO: people who can’t refund their creditors can be sold as slaves; then the debtor is “leaded in chains” for 60 days in which the creditor can try to sell it in the market PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T SERVE IN ARMY: they become slaves of the government SOME CRIMES: adultery, rape, murders

In ancient Rome slavery was different from Greece: roman empire needed a great number of slaves to employ in agriculture and manufactures. Slaves to be sold was on a turning stage: the ones who was yet sold had a white footprint and was called gypsati; useful informations were written on a sign with nationality, qualities, bad habits.

Roman constitution fixed possibility, for slaves, of becoming a free man by manumission: in this case slave took his boss’ pre-name and name. They redemption can take place in 3 ways: per vendictam per censum per testamentum

WOMEN’S SLAVERY In Roman world women were excluded from participating to social life because of: IGNORANTIA IURIS IMBECILLITAS MENTIS INFIRMITAS SEXUS LEVITATEM ANIMI Amon all women the worst condition was that of slaves: they had to work hard for their owners, they had no freedom and independence, they can’t marry and, if married with a slave man, the owner can sell one of them separately; if they had children, they were considered slaves too.

GLADIATORS The word comes from gladium, a little sword. Fight of gladiators are traditionally Etruscan; their origin is connected with munus, the habit of important people of offering public shows with gladiators’ fights on the occasion of funerals. Slaves can become gladiators only if they want to: usually they’re from far countries and their training was really hard. Many slaves become gladiators as a punishment.

PUNISHMENTS Usually the daily punishment was flagellation, but sometimes slaves can suffer the shaving of their head; finally the torture: burn, break, mutilation. Slaves that were thieves, calumniators and fugitives were identified with some symbols like FUG- KAL-FUR impressed on their front. Those who were rebels or things like that were crucified.