HILA 2001 Lecture 20: L20

• School: University of Virginia
• Department: History-Latin American History
• Course: HILA 2001
• Professor: Thomas Klubock

Document Summary

Slavery: greek and roman empires: slaves used in artisanal shop, urban in greek society, and as agricultural labor under the roman empire. Slavery in latin america has long tradition based in roman and greek empires: slave labor was largely urban in greece. Aristotle was an advocate for slavery as a means of natural hierarchy: during height of roman empire, slaves compose of 35-40% of population. Roman nobles began to hire slaves to work on their estates and agriculture: antecedent of later plantations and estates in the americas. Population of slaves at the height of roman empire = 2-3 million slaves: long lasting tradition in the west of slavery. Roman legal traditions and social traditions propagate this: property rights = none to slaves. But they can accumulate property and have the possibility of legally purchasing their freedom: inherent in latin america too as coartacion. Crusading knights produce sugar and employ slaves (as well as serfs and free workers)