Roman Slaves

The economy of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire depended on Slavery, ‘Servus’ is Latin for Slave.
After a series of Slave Revolts under the Roman Republic known as the Servile Wars, conditions improved and there were no Revolts under the Roman Empire.

A-Z of Roman Slaves

Roman Slaves worked inside households, on the great estates, as doctors and Imperial civil servants, where they led a reasonable life. However life was hard for the slaves who worked in the mines.
For one week every year, slaves did not have to work, during the festival of Saturnalia.

Slaves were forbidden to wear the Roman Toga, they wore clothing appropriate to their status, usually the Tunica.

Roman Slaves who received their Freedom (Libertas) were made into Freedmen (Libertini) and became Citizens with limited Rights, and could vote, like the holders of Roman Citizenship. Certain positions were not open to the Freedmen by Statute.
The Freedmen formed a separate class in the Roman Social Class System.
Mithraism became very popular amongst Freedmen.

The Slave was the Property of his Master.
In Roman Law, the Slave had no legal status as a person, no persona, no name or Cognomen, no personality, no past and no Goods. They did not own their own body.
They were protected under Roman Law because they were the Property of the Owner. Thus, injury caused to a Slave could result in the Owner being compensated for damage to his Property.

There were three types of Manumissio under the Roman Republic:
1. Vindicta: the Master released the Slave before a Magistrate.
2. Censu: The Slaves were released by their Masters at the Lustral Census.
3. Testamento: Slaves were released by the masters in their Will, often making them his Heir.
The Slave Owner could either give the Slave his Freedom (Libertas), as happened to more elderly slaves after years of service. Often, Manumissio was done in the Master’s Will (Testamento). Or the Slave could buy his Freedom after years of saving or after enriching himself.
The Slave then became a Freedman.
The former owner became his Patron (Patronas) and owed him certain advantages, and the former Slave became his client (Cliens) and owed him certain Duties.
The Roman tradition of Salutatio, was the requirement of the Client, in formal dress, to attend on his Roman Patron at dawn, and greet him to show him reverence or friendship.
A large number of Slaves were given Manumissio each year under the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire.

‘Nexum’ was a voluntary enslavement by a Roman Citizen to a Bondholder, in return for paying off his debt.
In 352 BCE, to solve the problem of citizen debt and prevent indebtedness leading to citizens being sold into Slavery, a team of five Public Bankers and a Bank was created.
This led to the abolition of ‘Nexum’ in 326 BCE.

The Roman Slave was subject to Capital Punishment, unlike the Roman Citizen who was exempt.
Capital Punishment came in the form of Crucifixion, also reserved for robbers and traitors.
In 71 BCE Crassus crucified 6,000 Slaves along the Via Appia after suppressing the Slave Revolt by Spartacus.

Claudius (41-54 )CE
- He permitted a Slave his Freedom, if his Master abandoned him.
Nero (54-68 CE)
- He appointed a Judge, and permitted a Slave the right to present a complaint of mistreatment against his Master in the Courts.
Hadrian (117-138 CE)
- He removed the Right for a Master to kill his Slave, only the State could apply Capital Punishment.
Antoninus Pius (138-161 CE)
- He changed Roman Law to bring Slaves under the control of the Roman State, and help the Enfranchisement of Slaves:
- He passed legislation to permit a Slave Owner to be prosecuted if he killed his Slave.
- He followed the Principle of ‘Favor Libertatis’: when a Slave applied to become a Freedman, his Freedom would be granted in cases where his claim was not clear.
- If a Master killed his Slave, he was now punishable by a Trial.
- A Proconsul could insist on the forced sale of a Slave to another Master, in the event of persistent mistreatment.
- The Right to sell a female Slave to a Brothel and therefore into Prostitution was abolished.

The Imperial Slaves were different from other Slaves.
They could expect to be awarded Manumissio and continue their career as Imperial Freedmen.

In the Roman Slave Market, the Slaves were presented chained and naked for buyers to examine in detail.
Slaves might be on a revolving stand, or on a raised platform, or in a shop.
The Slave wore a sign around his or her neck, describing their origin, health, character and education.
The price varied according to age and ability.
Six month guarantee:
- If the Slave wore a cap, it meant he came with no guarantee.
- Otherwise, there was a six month guarantee period, when the Slave could be brought back and the buyer refunded, if the written description on him did not match up to reality. Alternatively, the seller could agree to part compensation.

These were hunted down and returned to their Master. Punishment could be flogging or death. Survivors were branded on the forehead with the letters ‘FUG’ for fugitive.
Sometimes the Runaway Slave was made to wear a collar that stated he was a Runaway and should be returned to his Master.

This was a week long festival during which slaves did not have to work.
On December 17th, the Festival of Saturnalia was held, in honour of the Roman God Saturn.
A sacrifice was made at the Temple of Saturn in the Forum Romanum, followed by a Public Banquet.
Slaves could wear the ‘Pileus’ or cap of Freedom.
On this day, Slaves were offered a Banquet by their Masters, as well as the opportunity to Gamble and Freedom of Speech. Slaves could express themselves freely to their Masters without being punished. Masters might even serve their Slaves at Table or eat with them.

Under the Roman Republic:
- There were a series of minor uprisings culminating in three Slave Rebellions known as the Servile Wars (135-71 BCE).
- The most notable being the Third Servile War (73-71 BCE) against Spartacus.
Under the Roman Empire:
- After 71 BCE, there were no more major rebellions.
- This may have been due to the frequent emancipation of slaves by their owners, leading to the perception by slaves that they or their children could eventually join Roman Society and become Freedmen.
- Also, the Roman State became increasingly more protective towards Slaves, starting under Claudius (41-54 CE) and obtaining complete protection under Roman Law with Antoninus Pius (138-161 CE).

Roman Wars of expansion whilst building the Roman Republic, meant that whole foreign armies and their families were sold into Slavery, bought by the Merchants who followed the Roman Armies. Julius Caesar sold entire Gallic Tribes after he had conquered them, to the Slave merchants who followed his army.
Between 167-69 BCE Delos became the biggest Slave Market in the East, with up to 10,000 Slaves being sold through it in a day. The Slave Trade at Delos was conducted by the Pirates of Cilicia.