Slavery in Ancient Rome Sekoya Pelayo, Aminah Grant, & Shannon Thomas.

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Slavery in Ancient Rome Sekoya Pelayo, Aminah Grant, & S

Transcript of Slavery in Ancient Rome Sekoya Pelayo, Aminah Grant, & Shannon Thomas.

Page 1: Slavery in Ancient Rome Sekoya Pelayo, Aminah Grant, & Shannon Thomas.

Slavery in Ancient Rome

Sekoya Pelayo, Aminah Grant, & Shannon Thomas

Page 2: Slavery in Ancient Rome Sekoya Pelayo, Aminah Grant, & Shannon Thomas.

About Rome…● Rome lasted from 753 B.C.E to 600 C.E● Had Latin speech and culture ● Agriculture and slavery w● as essential to the economy● had a Senate (held the true power)● Christianity ● divided into 2 social classes (Patricians and Plebeians) ● Roman Republic ● Western part of Rome fell

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Roman Cities

● The Roman cities were centers of marketing and trading.● Because slaves were considered property, they were sold and

traded there often. ● Taxes were even established on slaves.● Landowners were able to have slaves, and usually hired

overseers to watch and monitor their behavior and work ethic.

Slavery Auction

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Social structuresAs in most societies, the Republic of Rome had it’s own social hierarchy.

During the Roman Republic, Rome had two main social classes. The Patricians and the Plebeians.● Wealthy families, said to be descended from the gods, called the Patricians, made up the higher

class. They were aristocrats who held all the political power and prestige in Rome.● The Plebeians were everyone else. The general population of Rome, like farmers, slaves...etc.

During The Roman Empire period, social hierarchy became a lot more complex and rigid despite the diversity of it’s citizens. The Roman census divided the people into 6 classes based on the amount of property they owned.

● The highest classes included patricians, senators,and knights (equestrians).● The common people/ middle class (mostly farmers) were the plebeians. ● The lowest classes consisted of poor citizens, non citizens, slaves and freedmen (people freed from

slavery).Not even considered part of an actual class, slaves took up 25 to 40% of Rome’s population. An

estimated 2 to 10 million people were slaves across the empire.● They were usually prisoners from war born into slavery, people in debt, or people who voluntarily sold

themselves into slavery to escape debt and poverty.

Patricians Plebeians

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Social Structures● All slaves had masters. Some were kind but a lot of masters were cruel. Slaves were

the property of their masters, bound to serve them. They had no rights, freedom or authority.

● Many slaves worked as agricultural laborers, or household servants● Many slaves were well educated and worked as school teachers, carpenters,

messengers, goldsmiths and other varieties of jobs. ● In Roman society, owning slaves was a mark of high status. Most Romans only

owned a couple while others owned hundreds and even thousands of slaves.

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Food Production

● Agriculture was frequently done by male slaves. The slaves were usually involved with livestock, textile, oil, dairy and grains.

● Rome highly depend on the production of agriculture from the slaves.

● Some slaves were most likely paid with some of the very grain they grew.

● The establishment of slaves released some of the agricultural stress on free peasant farmers and lower class citizens.

● Widespread rebellion of the slaves could result in a drastic economic downfall.

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Family

● In a patriarchy, men hold huge power. ● The patriarchy shaped slavery in several ways.● If slaves married and had children, their children automatically were slaves. ● Many parents would often kill their children so they wouldn’t have to experience

what they did. ● Parents sold their children to pay debts.● The selling of slaves led to separation of families.

Slaves tending to the hair of their mistress.

Page 8: Slavery in Ancient Rome Sekoya Pelayo, Aminah Grant, & Shannon Thomas.

Citations● http://www.academia.edu/1580228/Roman_Agriculture_and_Food_Production● http://apworldhistory101.com/history-of-europe/ancient-rome/● Ancient Rome Powerpoint

● http://www.moyak.com/papers/roman-slavery-war.html● http://www.hierarchystructure.com/ancient-rome-social-hierarchy/● O'Neal, Michael J. "social organization in ancient Rome." In Bogucki, Peter, ed.Encyclopedia of Society and

Culture in the Ancient World. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Ancient and Medieval History Online.

Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?

ItemID=WE49&iPin=ESCAW679&SingleRecord=True (accessed October 9, 2014).

● Adkins, Lesley, and Roy A. Adkins. "slaves in ancient Rome." Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome, Updated

Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2004. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Facts On File, Inc.

http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?

ItemID=WE49&iPin=HROU1157&SingleRecord=True (accessed October 9, 2014).

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/roman_slaves.htm