freedmen (libertus)

what are freed people?

once enslaved but manumitted

what work could freedmen do?

• could continue their work during enslavement

• messenger

• run businesses

• priests

• council secretaries

  town clerks

who were the Vettis?

• rich and successful freedmen

  • owned a house with elegant marble fountains and colourful paintings

what restrictions did freedmen have?

• could not be candidates in public elections

• could not become a high-ranking army officer

• had to visit ex-master regularly

• had to work for master for a fixed number of days yearly

what did Martial say about Charidemus?

• “rocker of my cradle”

  • often raised their ex-master’s children

• “your anger scarcely refrains from the canes”

  • could use corporal punishment to discipline ex-master’s children

• “you count our drinking cups”

  • some slaves were more involved than parents

    • sometimes had “mother” or “father” inscribed on their tombstones”

what sometimes happened to freed female slaves?

• had fewer opportunities compared to freedmen

• often married their ex-masters