Roman Slavery
This PowerPoint presentation
accompanies
Closeup Teaching Unit 4.5.2
Roman Slavery
100 BCE – 450 CE
Welcome to
the Roman
empire!
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In the Roman
empire there
were lots of
people: men,
women, and
children
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But many of
these men,
women, and
children were
not free …
They
were
slaves.
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How did
they
become
slaves?
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Some were
captured by
Roman
soldiers in
war.
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Others
were born
to
mothers
who were
slaves.
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Others were
abandoned by
their parents
when they were
babies.
Maybe the
parents
were too
poor to
raise
them.
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Pirate
ship
Others were
kidnapped
by pirates or
robbers and
sold into
slavery.
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What kind of a
life did a slave
have?
She or he had to
work for the
owner.
Some
slaves
worked in
the kitchen.
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Even little
children,
like Iunius,
had to
work in the
master’s
kitchen.
Other
slaves had
to serve
the food
and drink.
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Others
entertained the
owners by
singing, playing
musical
instruments, or
acting on the
stage!
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Some wealthy
Roman
matrons had
many slaves
to help them
get dressed,
to do their
hair …
Some slaves
were trained
to fight as
gladiators!
Sometimes
slave
women
fought in
gladiatorial
combats!
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Did all slaves
work in cities
and towns?
No! Many had
to grow
crops, watch
flocks … and
slave children
made good
shepherds!
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What
happened
if you did
not obey
your
owner?
You could
be punished
severely;
you could be
beaten and
even locked
up or tied
up.
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Was there
no way out
of slavery?
Yes! You could
be manumitted!
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Some masters
manumitted
their slaves as
a special
reward.
A slave
could buy
his own
freedom
with his
savings
(peculium)
Other masters
freed their
slaves in their
will.
And if the
master
followed
certain
formalities,
the ex-slave
became a
Roman
citizen!
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Could every
slave hope to
be
manumitted?
No, but some
slaves who
could no
longer take
the lack of
freedom or
their owners’
mistreatment
could offer
resistance!
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They could
start a
slave
rebellion!
They
could run
away!
They could
even use
magic!
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But …
They were
not always
successful …
And
punishment
could be
severe.
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Most slaves
just carried
on with
their lives.
It was going to be a
very long time
before slavery was
officially abolished.
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The End
This PowerPoint presentation
accompanies
Closeup Teaching Unit 4.5.2
Roman Slavery
100 BCE – 450 CE
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