{"id":3825,"date":"2023-03-28T13:03:11","date_gmt":"2023-03-28T12:03:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/?p=3825"},"modified":"2023-03-28T13:03:11","modified_gmt":"2023-03-28T12:03:11","slug":"how-was-slaves-treated-in-ancient-rome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/how-was-slaves-treated-in-ancient-rome\/","title":{"rendered":"How was slaves treated in ancient rome?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Roman enslavement of persons was not based on race but on conquest. In many cases, slaves were better off than poor citizens, and some eventually gained their freedom.<\/p>\n

The slaves in Ancient Rome were often treated harshly and were required to do hard labor. They were also sometimes maltreated and were not given basic human rights.<\/p>\n

How were the Roman slaves treated? <\/h2>\n

The lives of slaves were harsh. They were often whipped, branded or cruelly mistreated. Their owners could also kill them for any reason, and would face no punishment. Although Romans accepted slavery as the norm, some people – like the poet and philosopher, Seneca – argued that slaves should at least be treated fairly.<\/p>\n

The ancient Roman slaves who had the hardest lives were those who were put to work in the mines. Women slaves would be used as hairdressers, dressmakers, cooks and servants for rich women. Other slaves worked in small workshops making leather or silver goods or pots and pans.<\/p>\n

How were freed slaves treated in ancient Rome <\/h3>\n
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Freedmen in ancient Rome were slaves who had been granted their freedom through the legal process of manumission. This process was codified during the Early Republic, with three main legal forms being observed: Manumissio Vindicta, Censu, and Testamento. Freedmen enjoyed a number of rights and privileges, including the right to own property, to marry, and to vote. They also had the responsibility to uphold the law and to serve in the military.<\/p>\n

The Roman legal system considered slaves to be property, without any legal personhood. This meant that most slaves would never be freed, and could be subjected to corporal punishment, sexual exploitation, torture and summary execution. This was in contrast to Roman citizens, who were protected by the law and could not be treated in this way.<\/p>\n

Did Romans marry slaves? <\/h2>\n

Although slaves could not marry, if they had a partner they would be entitled to establish a family unit. However, the masters owned all of the slaves’ children.<\/p>\n

There were two main types of slaves: public and private. Public slaves (called servi publici) were owned by the Roman government. They might work on public building projects, for a government official, or in the emperor’s mines. Private slaves (called servi privati) were owned by an individual.<\/p>\n

Were slaves legal addicted under Roman law? <\/h2>\n
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The English word “addict” comes from the Latin word addictus, which means “to devote, sacrifice, sell out, betray, or abandon.” In Roman law, an addiction was a person that became enslaved through a court ruling.<\/p>\n

The Romans believed that slavery was a natural state for conquered people and saw no reason to justify it. They viewed slaves as captured valuables, to be used and exploited as the ruling class saw fit. This view was in line with the wider belief in the time that some people were simply born to be slaves.<\/p>\n

What was slaves daily life like in ancient Rome <\/h3>\n

The lives of these slaves were incredibly difficult. They were constantly reminded of their lack of freedom and were treated like objects rather than people. They had little to eat and were forced to work until they died. There was no hope for them to gain their freedom, except for the slim chance of escape.<\/p>\n

The large number of educated slaves in Roman society were trained in ways varying from self-education to instruction in formally organized schools within the larger households, which were called paedagogia. This allowed for many educated slaves to hold important positions within Roman society, which in turn led to more opportunities for upward mobility.