By Emily DeCamp

A slave could be a person frequently captured in battle and sent back to Rome to be sold. There were times when fathers would sell their older children to be slaves if the family didn’t have enough money. If a slave married and had children, then the children were automatically slaves. HOW SOMEONE BECAME A SLAVE

On Farms, slaves produced important crops like wheat, olives, vines, and grapes which were used to make wine. They also worked as carpenters and blacksmiths who repaired the farm tools and carts. Others looked after the cattle, sheep, and pigs. In big cities, slaves worked in shops. Their responsibilities were shop keeping, lending of money, and the selling and purchasing of products. Women slaves would be used as hairdressers, dressmakers, cooks and servants for rich women. A SLAVE’S JOB

Some masters treated their slaves with care as their own children. Saturnalia was a traditional celebration in which slaves and masters switched places. In the celebration, the master performed all the tasks of the slaves, and the slaves did the opposite. But in most cases, masters physically abused their slaves. Some slaves had to become combat fighters known as gladiators and chariot racers. The gladiators had to fight strong and vicious animals such as lions, tigers and other animals in an arena so that the Roman citizens could entertain themselves. In most cases, the gladiator was killed by the animals. HOW SLAVES WERE TREATED

Spartacus was a former Gladiator who was the leader of a major slave uprising against the Roman Empire. With about 70 fellow gladiators Spartacus had escaped from a gladiatorial training school at Caupa in 73 B.C. and took refuge on Mount Vesuvius, where more runaway slaves joined them. His revolt inspired terror throughout Italy. After fighting and defeating two Roman forces, the rebel slaves had overrun most of southern Italy. But even with 90,000 men, after many battles Spartacus was slain in battle, and Pompey’s army killed many of the scattered slaves and crucified 6,000 prisoners of war. SPARTACUS

SOURCES: