Slavery

How were slaves recorded when working on the Erechetheum, the Acropolis

• “belonging to X”
  - viewed as property

• Free men and citizens recorded as “living in”
  - relating to their registration in a deme

Difference between a slave society and a society with slaves

• Society with skaves: slaves are present but do not play an important role within the economy

• c6 Greece: transition from a soc with slaves to a “slave society”

Complexities of slavery

• Slavery, freedom, and something in between?
  - debt bondage?

Aristotle on slavery

• A slave belongs to a master totally

• “The nature and capacity of a slave is a human being who by nature belongs not to himself but to another man is by nature a slave”

What was used to declare someone’s legal status?

• Oaths used to testify

• Balance between documents and testimonies
  - both held legal weight

• Court cases
  - means to check → can’t just declare someone enslaves

Aristotle on “dealing with slaves”

• 3 main factors
  - work
  - punishment
  - food

• “The solution is to give him work and sufficient food. It is not possible to manage slaves without payment, and the payment for slaves is food.”

• Logic was to exploit slaves but always offer rewards (or punishment) to ensure productivity”

Sources of slave supply

• Raiding

• Trade

• Debt

• Conquest

Differences in how poleis aquired slaves

• Sparta and Thessalians: Geeks who previously inhabited the land they now controlled

• Chians: purchased barbarians as slaves

Helots

• Specific brand of Spartan slavery
  - perception that they were “state-owned”

• Sparta had different expectations surrounding private property
  - citizens could make use of other peoples property

• 464 BCE: Helots revolted following an earthquake