Slavery in the Roman Empire
Summary
Host Kate Lister and historian Emma Southern explore the brutal reality of slavery in the Roman Empire, revealing it as a sophisticated system where up to 30% of the population were enslaved. They discuss how slavery permeated every aspect of life, from bureaucracy to sexual exploitation, and examine the limited paths to freedom through manumission or escape. The episode highlights the lack of legal recourse for slaves and the pervasive violence they faced, contrasting elite narratives with the silent suffering of the enslaved.
Topics discussed
Intro, voting appeal, and sponsor message
Introduction to slavery in the Roman Empire
The massive scale and normalization of slavery
Comparing Roman slavery to modern oppressive systems
Sexual violence, gladiators, and sources of slaves
Punishments, branding, and state slavery
Sponsors: Ruler and Not Just The Tudors
Daily life, household accounts, and peculium
Legal recourse, manumission, and public slaves
Slave markets and the sale of people
Pricing of slaves and sexual exploitation
Buying freedom and manumission processes
Punishment for violence and escaping slavery
Voices of slaves: epitaphs and graffiti
Imperial bureaucracy and slave management
Lack of abolition and early Christian views
Roman concepts of freedom vs. modern views
Conclusion and outro
Final sponsor message from Acast
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