Slavery - Ancient Mediterranean History

Messenia

Sparta turns Messenian population in Helots, Had them turn over property and produce things for them (Helots are more like dependent laborers, They were not owned)

Athens

True chattel slavery seen here in the 6th century, Solon was an Athenian wiseman who was elected archon in 594 (Talks about bringing slaves back to Athens and freeing them, Eradicates debt bondage), Post-Solon slaves were typically not Athenian and not Greek

Rome

There was no social safety net in Ancient Rome

2 big developments that led to slavery in Rome

Rome’s military conquest of the Mediterranean Basin in 2nd c. BCE and Too few people own too much land

Rome’s military conquest of the Mediterranean Basin in 2nd c. BCE

Creates influx of wealth into Italy, Wealthy elite take a lot for themselves and cause huge wealth disparity (Build huge estates by buying up land - latifundia - Since peasants are no longer working this land the wealthy use slaves, Need hundreds of thousands)

Too few people own too much land

Many people got swallowed up and removed from the land (They then either moved into the cities or they went into the army), Causes a viscous cycle because now the Roman war machine is getting bigger which allows for more conquest then more money then they wealthy take more money and buy more land which kicks peasants off the land

Sources of Enslaved Persons at Rome

slave trade, piracy/kidnapping, Infant exposure, self-slaving, Verna

Egypt and West Asia

10% of population slaves

Rome

up to 40% slaves

Slave societies in the Ancient World

Ancient Greece and Rome

Slaves were not able to

fight in the army or hold political office

Sometimes the state or individual cities

would have slaves

Slaves from elite households could become

powerful or influential (although this was rare)

Sicilian Slave Wars (135-132 BCE, 104-101 BCE)

Localized uprising in different households, no long term effects

Uprising of Spartacus

73-71 BCE, Spartacus was a gladiator who rallied other gladiators and they fought and ran away to Mt. Vesuvius where they performed raids and split profits equally

There were  few rebellions because many slaves

didn’t speak the same language and often weren’t able to interact for long periods of time

Closed slave system

Greece

Open slave system

Rome

Rome & Manumission

Manumission was frequent and freed slaves were full Roman citizens, 60% of freed slaves who died before the age of 30 were women and were married to their ex slaveowners (Personal affections are a common reason for freeing slaves in Rome), Slaves would pay substantial sums to become freed