Greek Slaves In Imperial Rome.

[WotWotius]

The vast majority of slaves during the time of the Principate were probably the products of foreign wars. However, according to various sources, many slaves from this time were in fact trained Greeks from (surprisingly...) Greece: a land that had been under the wing of Rome for two to three centuries.

 

My question is, how did Rome acquire so many Greeks as slaves when at this time there was never a war against Greek cities?

[Andrew Dalby]

The vast majority of slaves during the time of the Principate were probably the products of foreign wars. However, according to various sources, many slaves from this time were in fact trained Greeks from (surprisingly...) Greece: a land that had been under the wing of Rome for two to three centuries.

 

My question is, how did Rome acquire so many Greeks as slaves when at this time there was never a war against Greek cities?

 

Ah, but how many of them really came from Greece? Remember Greek was a language of communication all over the East. Many so-called Greek slaves were from Asia Minor, Egypt, Syria etc.

 

Also, Greek slaves in Rome were not necessarily war captives. Greece and the eastern kingdoms had been slave-owning cultures also: some of those Greek slaves will have been born as slaves, in Greece and those other provinces, and of course brought up to speak Greek, the language of their owners.

[Pertinax]

As an example one might have Greek speaking slaves from the former Spartan colony at Tarantum , perhaps some also from Syracuse or other Greek influenced settlements on Sicily. Greek colonisation was very widespread and was , perhaps , more a cultural identity than an idea of nationhood or "national belonging".The long range trade links were spread from the northern shores of the Black Sea to Sicily and through the many Greek Islands .By about 440 BC Athens had contact with dozens of widespread "Greek" colonies, though it matters not if Athens was top dog in terms of political weight , the Games were a potent symbol of identity and competitive cultural aspiration. Local poulations tended to become adapted to Greek as the "lingua Franca" but AD will know the depth and breadth of this influence far better than I.

[caldrail]

Slaves also came from legal sentences or simply because it was a better choice than poverty. Pirates were never really eliminated in the meditarranean and captured individuals might be sold as slaves.

[WotWotius]

As an example one might have Greek speaking slaves from the former Spartan colony at Tarantum

 

Where exactly is Tarantum?

[Antiochus of Seleucia]

Boot of Italy, nowdays it's called Taranto.

 

Edited August 26, 2006 by Antiochus of Seleucia

[Rameses the Great]

This may be a tad bit off topic but I read in a book some where that Greek slaves were regarded as the best in Ancient Rome. Any truth to this?

[WotWotius]

Many slaves in Ancient Rome were indeed stereotyped. For instance, Greeks were generally seen as academics

[Rameses the Great]

Many slaves in Ancient Rome were indeed stereotyped. For instance, Greeks were generally seen as academics

[Antiochus of Seleucia]

slaves from eastern nations (e.g. Syria), were often associated with magic, mystery and miracle work, therefore, they were often used as dancers or miracle healers

Edited August 30, 2006 by Antiochus of Seleucia

[WotWotius]

My thoughts exactly...

[Rameses the Great]

Ok, but if you define Egypt as Eastern than I have a problem with that. If I'm not mistaken Egypt was in Africa and that is in the West. If you look at the culture of the Syrians, Mesopatamian, and Bedhouins it is completely different from ours. If anyone wants to define Egypt as the East, don't call it part of Africa because that is just a misnomer.

[M. Porcius Cato]

Ok, but if you define Egypt as Eastern than I have a problem with that. If I'm not mistaken Egypt was in Africa and that is in the West. If you look at the culture of the Syrians, Mesopatamian, and Bedhouins it is completely different from ours. If anyone wants to define Egypt as the East, don't call it part of Africa because that is just a misnomer.

 

I don't understand this argument at all. Are you saying that Egypt should or should not be considered part of Africa? Are you saying it should or should not be considered part of the East?

[Rameses the Great]

I don't understand this argument at all. Are you saying that Egypt should or should not be considered part of Africa? Are you saying it should or should not be considered part of the East?

 

I don't want to get off topic so I'll just post this. If Egypt is part of Africa, then it should be considered part of the East. If it is considered part of the East, then don't refer to it as an African nation. It is one or the other, but to have an African nation and calling it part of the East is by no means logical.

 

If people consider Carthage part of the West, what makes Egypt any different?

Edited September 12, 2006 by Rameses the Great

[WotWotius]

I don't understand this argument at all. Are you saying that Egypt should or should not be considered part of Africa? Are you saying it should or should not be considered part of the East?

 

I don't want to get off topic so I'll just post this. If Egypt is part of Africa, then it should be considered part of the East. If it is considered part of the East, then don't refer to it as an African nation. It is one or the other, but to have an African nation and calling it part of the East is by no means logical.

 

If people consider Carthage part of the West, what makes Egypt any different?

 

Simple, its geographical location.