Reading: Slaves slides

Slaves

Slaves in the Roman Empire were omnipresent 

in one of the great world slave societies.

The economy depended on slavery.

“Enslaved persons”

Principal means of acquisition:

War and vernae (house born)

No difference in dress or appearance

Predominance of males; 

implications for demography

Relative autonomy of the enslaved

Manumission and freedmen/women: 

The most upwardly mobile segment of Roman society

Roman freedwomen

Manumission matrimonii causa

and for other reasons

Many probable freedmen/women in the New Testament, e.g.,

Joseph Barsabbas Justus (Acts 1:23)

Lydia (Acts 16)

Antonius Claudius Felix (Acts 24:22-26), Roman procurator of Judea 52-60

Synagogue of the freedmen (not libertines!) Acts 6:9

Paul’s possible origins:

Jerome’s testimony that Paul’s parents were        enslaved by a Roman 

  and gained freedom with citizenship

Paul was born a Roman citizen Acts 22:28

Once more, the Firmius family