Ancient Slavery

3 units

Far from being confined to the Atlantic world of recent history, slavery of one kind or another was a dominant feature of the ancient Mediterranean world. Greeks, Romans, and others developed extensive systems of bondage that shaped every aspect of their societies’ culture and history. But the story of ancient slavery is also one of resilience, rebellion, and triumph. From the fully commercialized domain of chattel slavery to the manifold means by which freedom was partially withheld or inhibited, ancient Greek and Roman slavery constitutes one of the most important bodies of evidence for slavery in the history of the world overall. In this course, we will explore the full range of that evidence, from law and economics to archaeology and literature. We will pay particular attention to the lived experience of those held in bondage. Our class will examine how a number of different, yet interrelated, societies around the ancient Mediterranean constructed, represented and experienced slavery. By the end of the course you will have read, discussed, and written about some of the essential institutions and most significant cultural experiences and monuments of the Greeks, Romans, and others. Not only will you have acquired substantial knowledge about slavery in the ancient world—and thus about a much wider span of history itself—but you will also have developed critical skills in closely reading and interpreting ancient texts.