Quality of Slave LifeQuality of Slave Life

Controlling SlavesControlling Slaves

Quality of Life Quality of Life

Slave work was involuntarySlave work was involuntary

How were Romans able to motivate a How were Romans able to motivate a basically unwilling workforce to be as basically unwilling workforce to be as productive as possible?productive as possible?

What model was applied to American What model was applied to American Slaves in Frederick Douglass’ account?Slaves in Frederick Douglass’ account?

Was this the model applied in Ancient Was this the model applied in Ancient Rome?Rome?

Responsibilities of slave Responsibilities of slave ownerowner

Legal requirements:Legal requirements:Owners expected to provide.” : Owners expected to provide.” :

cibaria, vestitus, habitatiocibaria, vestitus, habitatio Food, clothing and shelterFood, clothing and sheltercibariacibaria included: base grade bread or included: base grade bread or

porridge, water, wine, olive oil, salt porridge, water, wine, olive oil, salt and grapes, and grapes, pulmentariumpulmentarium (sort of a (sort of a relish eaten with bread)relish eaten with bread)

The Roman system of slave The Roman system of slave controlcontrol

Essentially, slavery was based on violence, slave-owners Essentially, slavery was based on violence, slave-owners considered it desirable that slaves should stand in fear of considered it desirable that slaves should stand in fear of their masters and even be terrified of them.their masters and even be terrified of them.

Ideally, the owner-slave relationship was asymmetrical in Ideally, the owner-slave relationship was asymmetrical in that all power rested with the owner. that all power rested with the owner.

Cicero points out that it was not a relationship based on Cicero points out that it was not a relationship based on equal reciprocal obligations, but one that benefited only the equal reciprocal obligations, but one that benefited only the owner.owner.

Roman law transmits ideology of the elite: while it Roman law transmits ideology of the elite: while it embodies power, it also reveals the slave-owners’ embodies power, it also reveals the slave-owners’ vulnerabilities and their fearsvulnerabilities and their fears

In social practice the slave-owner was not always superior In social practice the slave-owner was not always superior

Legal provisions aimed both at repressing slaves and Legal provisions aimed both at repressing slaves and protecting slave-ownersprotecting slave-owners

Why?Why?

“

The Enemy withinThe Enemy within

Seneca, Letter 47Seneca, Letter 47““You have as many enemies as you You have as many enemies as you

have slaves” (have slaves” (tot hostes quot servitot hostes quot servi ) )

The murder of Pedanius The murder of Pedanius SecundusSecundus

Shortly afterwards, the city prefect, Pedanius Shortly afterwards, the city prefect, Pedanius Secundus, was murdered by one of his own slaves; Secundus, was murdered by one of his own slaves; either because he had been refused emancipation either because he had been refused emancipation after Pedanius had agreed to the price, or because he after Pedanius had agreed to the price, or because he had contracted a passion for a catamite, and declined had contracted a passion for a catamite, and declined to tolerate the rivalry of his owner. Be that as it may, to tolerate the rivalry of his owner. Be that as it may, when the whole of the domestics who had been when the whole of the domestics who had been resident under the same roof ought, in accordance resident under the same roof ought, in accordance with the old custom, to have been led to execution, with the old custom, to have been led to execution, the rapid assembly of the populace, bent on the rapid assembly of the populace, bent on protecting so many innocent lives, brought matters to protecting so many innocent lives, brought matters to the point of sedition, and the senate house was the point of sedition, and the senate house was besieged. Even within its walls there was a party besieged. Even within its walls there was a party which protested against excessive harshness, though which protested against excessive harshness, though most members held that no change was advisable. most members held that no change was advisable. Gaius Cassius,Gaius Cassius,7 one of the majority, when his turn to one of the majority, when his turn to speak arrived, argued in the following strain: speak arrived, argued in the following strain:

…………While no one member ventured to controvert the While no one member ventured to controvert the opinion of Cassius, he was answered by a din of voices, opinion of Cassius, he was answered by a din of voices, expressing pity for the numbers, the age, or the sex of expressing pity for the numbers, the age, or the sex of the victims, and for the undoubted innocence of the the victims, and for the undoubted innocence of the majority. In spite of all, the party advocating execution majority. In spite of all, the party advocating execution prevailed; but the decision could not be complied with, prevailed; but the decision could not be complied with, as a dense crowd gathered and threatened to resort to as a dense crowd gathered and threatened to resort to stones and firebrands. The Caesar then reprimanded the stones and firebrands. The Caesar then reprimanded the populace by edict, and lined the whole length of populace by edict, and lined the whole length of p181road, by which the condemned were being marched p181road, by which the condemned were being marched to punishment, with detachments of soldiers. Cingonius to punishment, with detachments of soldiers. Cingonius VarroVarro12 had moved that even the freedmen, who had had moved that even the freedmen, who had been present under the same roof, should be deported been present under the same roof, should be deported from Italy. The measure was vetoed by the emperor, lest from Italy. The measure was vetoed by the emperor, lest gratuitous cruelty should aggravate a primitive custom gratuitous cruelty should aggravate a primitive custom which mercy had failed to temper (Tacitus 14. 42)which mercy had failed to temper (Tacitus 14. 42)

controlling Slavescontrolling Slaves Romans applied a system of incentives and punishmentRomans applied a system of incentives and punishment Incentives:Incentives: decent living conditions, food, clothing, decent living conditions, food, clothing, Time off from workTime off from work Permission to have a familyPermission to have a family peculiumpeculium (pocket money); some slaves could keep some (pocket money); some slaves could keep some

of the income they made from hiring themselves out; as of the income they made from hiring themselves out; as artisans, as business agents, etc., artisans, as business agents, etc.,

could be used towards the purchase of their freedom; could be used towards the purchase of their freedom; prospect of manumission (ultimate reward) prospect of manumission (ultimate reward) With Augustus’ limitations on how many slaves could be With Augustus’ limitations on how many slaves could be

manumitted in a will, manumission became an even manumitted in a will, manumission became an even greater incentive - greater incentive -

PunishmentsPunishments

Flogging; branding; detention, the mill,Flogging; branding; detention, the mill,Sometimes very brutal – see examples Sometimes very brutal – see examples

in Bradley page 121in Bradley page 121More often withholding More often withholding

privileges/incentivesprivileges/incentivesWiedemann # 174Wiedemann # 174# 191# 191# 208# 208