CLASSICS 2K03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Candelabra
15 Apr 2017
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An ephebe is a young man/youth: 20-10 b. c. At the time of the eruption of vesuvius, this (& other bronze furnishings) were held in central room- most survived in great condition. Not only roman collector"s copy of famous sculpture from classical period, this is a very common type of furnishing. Bronze rack holding a lantern bearer was one of many functional objects that were meant to meet demand of a common type. Aesthetic value was also just as important as practical functionality. Served as stand-ins for attractive male slaves that all romans aspired to own. Roman slavery was not racial slavery- slaves were from all races, cultures, ages, Line between free & slave was not rigid. Permeable boundary through which large numbers of people passed in both directions- many slaves were eventually freed- more free people likely became slaves. Slaves were considered morally inferior to those of freeborn status. Freeborns believed that this moral corruptibility & irrational behavior warranted slavery.
