CLAS 3207CLAS 3207Roman SlaveryRoman Slavery

Primary Sources and their problemsPrimary Sources and their problems

Primary Sources for the Study of Primary Sources for the Study of Greek and Roman SlaveryGreek and Roman Slavery

Primary sources: documents and non-documentary Primary sources: documents and non-documentary evidence dating back to antiquity evidence dating back to antiquity

Main Problems: Main Problems: 1) fragmentary and uneven: 1) fragmentary and uneven: 2) nothing written by slaves themselves (literature and 2) nothing written by slaves themselves (literature and

legal material authored by elite males).legal material authored by elite males). 3) Not concerned with slavery as a topic (exception: a 3) Not concerned with slavery as a topic (exception: a

few philosophical works).few philosophical works). must be evaluated in historical and cultural context and must be evaluated in historical and cultural context and

each type of evidence in conjunction with other types each type of evidence in conjunction with other types of evidence.of evidence.

Literary EvidenceLiterary Evidence Variety of genres: epic poetry; lyric poetry; Variety of genres: epic poetry; lyric poetry;

drama (tragedy, comedy); satire; historical drama (tragedy, comedy); satire; historical writings; philosophical treatises;writings; philosophical treatises;

Political speeches; legal speeches; Political speeches; legal speeches; Legal documents (collections of laws, Legal documents (collections of laws,

judgments; edicts; imperial rescripts, etc.)judgments; edicts; imperial rescripts, etc.) Papyri from Hellenistic and Roman Egypt: Papyri from Hellenistic and Roman Egypt:

census reports; marriage contracts listing census reports; marriage contracts listing dowries, divorce settlements, sales dowries, divorce settlements, sales contracts, petitions to officials and contracts, petitions to officials and responses, apprenticeship contracts, responses, apprenticeship contracts, private letters, etc. private letters, etc.

Evaluation of Primary Evaluation of Primary DocumentsDocuments

Questions to ask of each Questions to ask of each documentdocument What is the nature of the evidence? (i.e literary, What is the nature of the evidence? (i.e literary,

inscription, etc.)inscription, etc.) If literary – what genre does document belong If literary – what genre does document belong

to? (i.e. epic poetry, tragedy, legal speech).to? (i.e. epic poetry, tragedy, legal speech). In what ways do rules of genre impact the In what ways do rules of genre impact the

content of document? content of document? Context: when was it written (historical, political Context: when was it written (historical, political

context)context) Who wrote it, for what purpose? Who wrote it, for what purpose? What biases are contained in document?What biases are contained in document? What kind of evidence about slavery can we What kind of evidence about slavery can we

extract from the document? extract from the document?

PapyrusPapyrus

Pieces from a Pieces from a census report.census report.

Census reports: Census reports: declaration of declaration of property, members property, members of household, of household, including slaves including slaves with ages and with ages and gender.gender.

P. Berlin, Leihg., 15 (189 CE)P. Berlin, Leihg., 15 (189 CE) ..property I am registering in the house-by-..property I am registering in the house-by-

house census of the aforementioned village house census of the aforementioned village ..(date, etc) I (the declarant), named ..(date, etc) I (the declarant), named Isidora, 60+ years of age, and my slaves Isidora, 60+ years of age, and my slaves (lit.slave bodies): Philoumene, 45 years old, (lit.slave bodies): Philoumene, 45 years old, and her offspring Diskouros, 8 years old, and her offspring Diskouros, 8 years old, and Athenarios, 4 years old; and another and Athenarios, 4 years old; and another slave, Elephantine, offspring of Demetria, slave, Elephantine, offspring of Demetria, 20 years old, and her offspring Eudaimonis, 20 years old, and her offspring Eudaimonis, 5 years old, and Isaurous, 1 year old; and 5 years old, and Isaurous, 1 year old; and another female slave, Helene, who has run another female slave, Helene, who has run away, 68 years old; and Ammonarion, 42 away, 68 years old; and Ammonarion, 42 years old, and Herakleia, 38 years old, and Herakleia, 38

Years old, who have also run away. I Years old, who have also run away. I thus declare in year 29 of our Lord thus declare in year 29 of our Lord Emperor Aurelius Commodus Emperor Aurelius Commodus Antoninus Caesar, Mesore 19 (c. mid-Antoninus Caesar, Mesore 19 (c. mid-August).August).

The Girl AbaskantisThe Girl Abaskantis((P. TurnerP. Turner 22) 22)

In the consulship of L. Cuspius Rufinus and L. In the consulship of L. Cuspius Rufinus and L. Statius Quadratus, at Side, before L. Claudius Statius Quadratus, at Side, before L. Claudius Aspicatus, demiurge and priest of the Aspicatus, demiurge and priest of the goddess Roman, on 26 Loos, Pamphilos, goddess Roman, on 26 Loos, Pamphilos, otherwise known as Kanopos, son of otherwise known as Kanopos, son of Aigyptos, from Alexandria, has purchased in Aigyptos, from Alexandria, has purchased in the marketplace from Artemidoros, son of the marketplace from Artemidoros, son of Aristokles, the slave girl Abaskantis, or by Aristokles, the slave girl Abaskantis, or by whatever other name she may be known, a whatever other name she may be known, a ten-year old Galatian, for the sum of 280 ten-year old Galatian, for the sum of 280 silver denarii. Continued….silver denarii. Continued….

continuedcontinued

M. Aelius Gavianus stands surety for M. Aelius Gavianus stands surety for and guarantees the sale. The girl is and guarantees the sale. The girl is healthy, in accordance with the Edict healthy, in accordance with the Edict of the Aediles ….is free of liability in of the Aediles ….is free of liability in all respects, is prone neither to all respects, is prone neither to wandering nor running away, and is wandering nor running away, and is free of epilepsy…”free of epilepsy…”

How do we evaluate How do we evaluate this document?this document?

What is it? - Sales ContractWhat is it? - Sales Contract Roman document (how do we know), Roman document (how do we know),

dated (where is the date?)dated (where is the date?) What information about slavery does What information about slavery does

the document provide?the document provide? How reliable is it?How reliable is it?

Digest 21.1.8.Digest 21.1.8.

““The question arises whether one The question arises whether one whose tongue has been cut out is whose tongue has been cut out is healthy. This problem is dealt with by healthy. This problem is dealt with by Ofilius in respect of a horse. His Ofilius in respect of a horse. His opinion is in the negative.”opinion is in the negative.”

Pliny, letter 3.14 (Wiedemann Pliny, letter 3.14 (Wiedemann #209)#209)

Roman ComedyRoman Comedy Plautus, 1Plautus, 1stst Roman playwright 254-184 BCE Roman playwright 254-184 BCE Slave stock characters: i.e. Slave stock characters: i.e. servus callidusservus callidus (the (the

scheming, clever slave) but loyal;scheming, clever slave) but loyal; They use trickery, need to be beaten to be good They use trickery, need to be beaten to be good

slavesslaves Bradley, Bradley, Slaves and MastersSlaves and Masters: probably based on a : probably based on a

popular conception that slaves, in reality, were popular conception that slaves, in reality, were deceitful and conniving, and such a conception can deceitful and conniving, and such a conception can have only derived from the observed behaviour of have only derived from the observed behaviour of slaves in everyday life. ..the troublesome slave ..has slaves in everyday life. ..the troublesome slave ..has been converted by Plautus into innocent been converted by Plautus into innocent entertainment….but …hardly minimises the entertainment….but …hardly minimises the historical substratum from which the playwright was historical substratum from which the playwright was woking (p. 29)woking (p. 29)

Non-Literary EvidenceNon-Literary Evidence

Inscriptions: Official inscriptions: Inscriptions: Official inscriptions: edicts, tribute lists, manumission edicts, tribute lists, manumission lists, inventory lists, honorary lists, inventory lists, honorary inscriptions, inscriptions,

Private tombstone inscriptions (the Private tombstone inscriptions (the only extant direct evidence from only extant direct evidence from lower classes including slaves) lower classes including slaves)

ILS 1519 (Wiedemann # 33)ILS 1519 (Wiedemann # 33)

““To Titus Flavius Euschemon, To Titus Flavius Euschemon, Freedman of Augustus, who had Freedman of Augustus, who had been secretary for correspondence been secretary for correspondence and also procurator of the Jewish poll and also procurator of the Jewish poll tax. Flavia Aphrodisia set this up for tax. Flavia Aphrodisia set this up for her ex-owner and husband, who well her ex-owner and husband, who well deserved it.”deserved it.”

Archaeological EvidenceArchaeological Evidence

Buildings (housing, etc.), tombs, Buildings (housing, etc.), tombs, columbaria columbaria

Artifacts: tools, jewellery, household Artifacts: tools, jewellery, household goods, etc.,goods, etc.,

Sculptures, reliefs, wall paintingsSculptures, reliefs, wall paintings coinscoins

Tombstone of the Baker Tombstone of the Baker Eurysaces – a freedmanEurysaces – a freedman

Inscription Inscription indicates that he indicates that he also held a minor also held a minor magistracy. magistracy.

What does it tell us What does it tell us about Marcus about Marcus Livius Eurysaces, Livius Eurysaces, freedman of freedman of Marcus? Marcus?

Morning ToiletteMorning Toilette

Plautus, Pseudolus 139-158Plautus, Pseudolus 139-158 Ballio (Ballio (a pimp) storms out of his house, brandishing a a pimp) storms out of his house, brandishing a

whip and round up a miscellaneous gang of slaves: whip and round up a miscellaneous gang of slaves: ““Come along there, out here, the lot of you – idle Come along there, out here, the lot of you – idle

rascals, scurvy scoundrels, not worth your keep!.....If I rascals, scurvy scoundrels, not worth your keep!.....If I didn’t keep them up to the mark with this (the whip) I didn’t keep them up to the mark with this (the whip) I should never get a day’s work out of them – Asses –should never get a day’s work out of them – Asses –more like asses than any men I ever saw – with hides more like asses than any men I ever saw – with hides tanned till they can’t feel it any more. …They’ve only tanned till they can’t feel it any more. …They’ve only one rule of life: watch your chance to steal, rob, one rule of life: watch your chance to steal, rob, plunder, loot, eat and drink, and do a bunk….”plunder, loot, eat and drink, and do a bunk….”

(for more examples see Bradley, Ch. 1, footnote 44)(for more examples see Bradley, Ch. 1, footnote 44) Link to complete play is on course home page.Link to complete play is on course home page.

The gossiping slaveThe gossiping slave

Roman wall Roman wall painting, depicting painting, depicting a scene from a scene from Roman comedy.Roman comedy.

The gossipy slave – The gossipy slave – stock characterstock character

Slaves in the kitchenSlaves in the kitchen

A freedman’s tombstoneA freedman’s tombstone

tombstonestombstones

Late Republic Early Imperial Period, Late Republic Early Imperial Period, freed particularly common in setting freed particularly common in setting up epitaphs often with reliefs – up epitaphs often with reliefs –

Expression of their desire to be good Expression of their desire to be good Romans, sharing important social Romans, sharing important social values: marriage, family, freeborn values: marriage, family, freeborn children - children -

ILS 7420a (Rome) Psamate, Furia's personal house

slave, who lived 18 years. Mithridates, baker, slave of Flaccus Thorius, made this.

ILS 7539 (Rome) Gaius Tullius Crescens, dealer in the

marble trade, from the Galban Warehouse district, made this for himself in his lifetime and for Tullia Primilla, his beloved fellow-freedwoman, and for their own freedmen and freedwomen and their posterity

CIL vi 9213 (Rome) Inscription from an eating-place? Flacceia Lais, freedwoman of Aulus;

Orbia Lais, freedwoman of a woman; Cominia Philocaris, freedwoman of Marcus; Centuria Thais, freedwoman of Quintus, set up a kitchen for Venus, at their own cost; concession revocable.