Roman Slavery

Vernae

Roman slaves who are born into slavery. These slaves were considered preferable to the type of slaves who were common in the republic in part because they had no home and they did not have military experience. Considered more docile

Paedagogia

Slave schools; Recruiters would go to rural areas and purchase young slaves from latifundia for low prices. These slaves would be educated and sold for higher prices

Servi Republici

Slaves owned by the Roman state

Familia Ceasaris

A small minority of slaves in public slavery.

Familia Rustica

Rural slaves; motivated by the whip

Latifundia Slaves

Most common rural slaves

Ergastula

Roman prison, where the slaves were locked up at night

Vilicus/Vilica

Higher ranking slave who oversaw the latifundia slaves

Pastoralists

Slaves that took care of animals; were mobile, carried weapons and had to know how to fight to protect cattle

Herd Master

had to be a special type of slave. They had to be natural alpha males. Would take the cattle to far away lands to find good food and water for the animals. These slaves would be armed with weapons to not let the cattle be stolen. Have an easier life because they simply look after the cattle eating.

Familia Urbana

Slaves in urban townhouses; motivated to move up the slave hierarchy

Aedituus

The slave that was in charge of other slaves, "CEO" of the slaves, so to speak, manages the Ordinarii

Ordinarii

Slave managers

Nomenculator

Slaves who would investigate and introduce important people

Tri

Slave event planners

Pedisequi

Slave entourage

Pantomimi

Slave entertainers

Litterati

Educated slaves

Cellarius

Slave accountant

Scrivener

Slave scribe/lawyer

Pedagogue

Slave tutor

Familia Gladitoria

Group of gladiators

Munera

Gladitorial matches for wake ceremonies

Ludi

State sponsored gladitorial matches, crazy spectacles like naval battles would be held in colosseums

Lanista

Overseers of gladiator slaves

Flamma

A soldier who disobeyed his superior officer, was turned into a gladitorial slave and was supposed to be killed but amazingly survives and becomes famous. Refused manumission 3 times before finally accepting it.

Cicero

Famous Roman leader, statesman, stoic. Thought of Tiro very highly.

Tiro

The slave of Cicero, at least as intellectual as Cicero, debatably smarter. Treated by Cicero with complete respect

Potestas

Authority that male head of household held over free people in household (limited)

Dominium

Authority that the male head of the household had over the slaves (strict)

Manumission

Process of leaving slavery; during principate, there was a tax on manumission; Most common form of manumission was peculium

Peculium

In ancient Roman times, peculium was a special fund or property that a master allowed a slave (or sometimes a son under a father’s authority) to manage and use, even though legally it still belonged to the master.

Operae

A debt that former slaves owed to their former master in exchange for their freedom

Julian Latin

A potential citizen; once you became a Julian Latin you had to be married, have a family, and get a job to serve Rome

Vindicta

Manumission for saving the life of the master; free from slavery- a legal fiction

Imperial Redemption

the highest form of manumission, no operae and known as “free"