Race in Ancient Mediterranean World

This lecture focuses on race and racism in the ancient Mediterranean world, particularly before transitioning to discussions of the medieval world, Africa, and the Americas.
Key readings include:
- Sarah Derpout's article on representations of Africans in Greek vase art.
- Discussion on ancient slavery in the Mediterranean, especially in Rome.

Emergence of the argument that anti-blackness was minimal, if non-existent, in the ancient Mediterranean.
- Key figure: Frank Snowden (1970s-2000s), who argued against the idea of inherent anti-blackness among whites.
- Derpout's work continues this exploration of the absence of skin color-based racism in ancient texts.

The argument suggests that anti-blackness is a modern construct with no true correlation in the ancient world.
Key Arguments:
- Racial Prejudice vs. Ethnic Diversity: Ancient slavery encompassed a diverse range of enslaved individuals from different regions, including Asia and East Europe, complicating notions tied to race.
- Slavery's Acceptance: Slavery was taken for granted; lacked justification based on racial superiority.

Slavery was a prevalent institution in the ancient Mediterranean, more so than in other areas (Asia, Americas, Africa).
Enslaved populations were ethnically diverse; enslaved individuals included various nationalities and backgrounds.

Ethnic Diversity of Slaves: Slaves encompassed individuals from various regions, thus not racially homogenous.
Acceptance of Slavery: No societal discourse on the morality of slavery, diminishing racial motivations for enslavement.
Roman Citizenship Post-Freedom: Freed slaves could become Roman citizens, blurring lines of social stratification based on birth. However, citizens did experience varying degrees of stigma.

Associations of Ethnicity with Slavery: The majority of enslaved individuals in Greece and Rome were not Greek/Roman, leading to ethnic associations with slavery.
Philosophical Justifications: Influential thinkers like Aristotle claimed some groups were "slaves by nature," indicating a potential racial basis for their argument.
Civic Rights and Ethnicity: Athenian democracy was defined by ethnic identity, enforcing hierarchies between citizens and foreigners.

Ancient Greeks exhibited a sense of superiority over non-Greeks but this may not equate to racism due to lack of defined power differentials.
Terminology: The term “barbarian” indicated non-Greek speakers but could have been more neutral than modern interpretations suggest.

Roman justifications often mirrored contemporary colonial attitudes, framing conquest as a "civilizing mission."

Expansion of citizenship was selective; citizenship tied more to military service and wealth than race, indicating a class-based rather than race-based hierarchy.
Expansion produced a larger societal stratification between citizens and non-citizens, reinforcing social structures.

Argues that ancient historians' views are influenced by modern racial concepts, dismissing contributions from Africa and Asia to ancient civilizations.
Elements of classical history reflect biases of 19th and 20th-century scholarship, prioritizing a Eurocentric narrative that simplifies the complex interactions in the ancient world.

Acknowledges Greeks and Romans cannot be understood solely as European; identities shaped by broader transcontinental realities.
These identities were informed by a mix of local customs and influences from conquered territories.

This exploration suggests that modern understanding of race and identifiers like "white" or "European" likely misrepresent ancient identities and social structures.
Calls for critical engagement with historical narratives and recognition of their context, particularly within contemporary discussions of race.