The Value of Ancient Roman Slaves

The Ancient Roman Value of Slaves
Trey Evans
Louisiana State University at Alexandria

Slaves played a crucial role in not only the construction of ancient Rome but also in the everyday lives of Rome’s citizens. Without slaves, everyday life and even government in ancient Rome would not have been the same (Brown, 2009, p. 1231). “Slavery has been used throughout history, but at no other time in history was an empire as dependent on slaves as the ancient Romans” (Bradley, 2008, p. 477). Slaves gave ancient Romans the lavish and lazy lifestyle that became stereotypical of the ancient Roman people (Temin, 2004, p. 514).
Although the exact number of slaves in ancient Rome is unknown, it is known that numbers were in the millions during the height of the Roman Empire (Bradley, 2008, p. 479). It is estimated that an average wealthy Roman owned about 400 slaves in his town house alone, and that the wealthiest Romans had up to 20,000 slaves at a time (Bradley, 2008, p. 479). Even after Rome passed its days of greatness, it is thought that 25% of all people in Rome were slaves (Bradley, 2008, p. 480). Slaves came from and were bought from a variety of places but were most often prisoners of war, abandoned children, or children of slaves (Fenoaltea, 1984, p. 1232). Once a man or woman was bought, found, or born into slavery, he or she was most often a slave for life (Fenoaltea, 1984, p. 1232). Slaves could only get their freedom if they were given freedom by their owner or if they bought their own freedom. To buy freedom, a slave had to raise the same amount of money his or her owner paid for them (Fenoaltea, 1984, p. 1233). If a slave ran away, that slave would have to live the life of an outlaw with organized bands of slave hunters in every city always on the lookout for runaway slaves (Temin, 2004, p. 514). Punishment for running away was usually the branding of the letter F, for fugitive, on the slave’s forehead (Temin, 2004, p. 514).
Slaves were punished mostly for neglect of duty or petty misconduct; the severity of the punishment depended on the slave’s owner (Bradley, 2008, p. 481). Some owners were much more cruel to their slaves than others. However, slaves were often given a certain, sometimes large, amount of respect by their owners due to the fact that slaves were valuable pieces of property (Bradley, 2008, p. 485). A slave’s real value was in the type of work that slave did on a day-to-day basis. Slaves without some sort of useful trade were used as farmhands, diggers, movers, miners, etc. and, while these slaves were very important, they were not as valuable as slaves with a useful skill or trade that could be used in the house or in a business (Brown, 2009, p. 1238). Slaves who were good cooks are thought to have been the most valuable because Rome’s more wealthy citizens competed against each other when it came to throwing banquets (Temin, 2004, p. 530).
The older, more valuable slaves, especially the slaves who worked in the house or business, were usually in charge of other slaves (Temin, 2004, p. 528). Each part of the house had its special staff of slaves, often divided into groups of ten, with a “superintendent” slave over each group (Temin, 2004, p. 528). Each group of slaves was in charge of a different part of the house. City slaves, who had only one task to perform, were the envy of farm slaves. These slaves usually had menial tasks such as guarding the front door, to care for the slave owner’s feet, to tend to a baby, or to introduce his owner when greeting people (Temin, 2004, p. 529). Public slaves did things like work the aqueducts, baths, and fountains or built roads, buildings, and arenas. Higher-class slaves were confidential assistants to their owners and may have been in charge of more important tasks such as collecting income, auditing reports, and making many kinds of business transactions (Temin, 2004, p. 530). These high-class slaves managed the businesses while their owners were away and were sometimes shop managers on a full time basis (Temin, 2004, p. 530). “There was a slave to perform or help perform every task, no matter how large or small, throughout the day” (Temin, 2004, 527). Slaves not only performed everyday tasks for their owners, they took control of things making their owners rich without lifting a finger. Slave labor was one of ancient Rome’s greatest sources of economic wealth.
Because slaves were so valuable to a slave owner’s everyday life, slaves were treated better than people may imagine. Many slaves were given more privilege and better comforts than poor free Romans (Bradley, 2008, p. 489). “Romans knew that treating their slaves with respect and care was in their best interest” (Bradley, 2008, p. 489). The Saturnalia Festival was proof of just how much slave owners appreciated their slaves. Saturnalia was an annual tradition in which slaves and masters switched places (Bradley, 2008, p. 490). For one day, the slave owners became the slaves and performed all the tasks of the slave while the slave assumed the role of slave owner (Bradley, 2008, p. 490).
From the ground up, ancient Rome was, in many ways, built and ran by slaves. Slaves built roads for trade and commerce. Slaves built baths and arenas for entertainment. Slaves helped fight battles. Slaves farmed, raised children, ran businesses, and so much more. Slaves had a part in every facet of what made the ancient Roman civilization great. “The ancient Romans became dependent on slave labor to get them through their daily lives. This dependency, in large part, helped lead to both the rise and fall of Rome” (Bradley, 2004, p. 477).

References
Bradley, K. (2008). Roman slavery: Retrospect and prospect. Canadian Journal of History, 43, 477-500.
Brown, V. (2009). Social death and political life in the study of slavery. American Historical Review, 86, 1231-1249.
Fenoaltea, S. (1984). Slavery and supervision in comparative perspective: A model. Journal of Economic History, 24, 635-668.
Temin, P. (2004). The labor market of the early roman empire. Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 34, 513-538.

References: Bradley, K. (2008). Roman slavery: Retrospect and prospect. Canadian Journal of History, 43, 477-500. Brown, V. (2009). Social death and political life in the study of slavery. American Historical Review, 86, 1231-1249. Fenoaltea, S. (1984). Slavery and supervision in comparative perspective: A model. Journal of Economic History, 24, 635-668. Temin, P. (2004). The labor market of the early roman empire. Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 34, 513-538.