Slaves and Freedmen(lecture #4). 1/17/2013 7:06:00 AM
Slaves:
-Normal in ancient society around the world.
-Roman slavery is different from other ancient society.
-In Rome, when a slave was freed, he automatically become a roman
citizen.
-By 100 AD, half of Rome population was slaves or slave desandence.
-City of Rome require vast amount of slaves, most of those slaves are
form east(like Greece).
-Julius Caesar invaded Gaul, 1 million Gallic people became slaves.
-After, most slaves are the outcome of trade but not wars.
-High proportion of the slaves come into the market.
-Selling the children to slaves could be a option.
-Some people came into slavery and after 20 or 30 years when they were
sent free, they would become Roman citizens.
-Everybody have to be on duty for the “Pater Familias”.
-Slavery is a legal system.
-The files of the Roman society-there’s no records.
-The educated slaves were probably sent free relatively early.
-A slavery is equal to a cart in Roman law.
-Sell whatever superfluous to feed the family, that is “Pater
Familias”.(Cato the Elder’s pragmatic advice).
-slavery is the way of Food-chain.(Vedius Pollio’s way of treating his
slaves).(lampreys).
-Empire Augustus used his authority to break the law to stop and punish
the inhuman behavior.
-Seneca the Younger: ”Treat your inferior as you would want to be
treated by your superiors.”
-Many Roman masters would have sex with slaves, some slaves would
pregnant and have a children with the master, those slaves could not be
freed until 30.
-“Pietas”- respect the father, respect the gods, obey the tradition. /People
could cheat to help their fathers…(everything is for the favor of father!).
-Most important is Roman virtue and the Pietas.
Freedmen are different form Freemen:
Once the Slaves were freed , they were still powerfully connected to their
formal masters.