This ground-breaking book is the first to show how the institution of slavery, one of the most characteristic and enduring features of Roman imperial society, was maintained over time and how, at the practical level, the lives of slaves in the Roman world were directly controlled by their masters. The author demonstrates, first, how the tensions generated between slaves and masters can be perceived in the ancient sources, and, second, how those tensions were dealt with, as masters treated their slaves with varying forms of generosity and punishment in order to elicit obedience from them. Special attention is given to the slaves' family lives, to their acquisition of freedom through manumission, and to the climate of violence that surrounded them. Emphasizing the harsh realities of Roman slavery in a new way, this important book will stir intense debate among scholars and students.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"A first-rate book....Excellent in drawing out the basic facts, and giving a wholly convincing interpretation....Clear, compassionate and compelling."--JACT
"An informed interpretive essay on the means of social control inherent in the system of slavery in imperial Rome....The value of the book comes from the coherence and persuasiveness of [Bradley's] interpretation."--American Historical Review
"An ideal book to recommend to students as an introduction to the controversies and problems of methodology involved in the study of ancient slavery....An excellent introductory survey."--Classical Review
"In compact and accessible prose, Bradley has produced an innovative work of scholarship eminently suitable for courses on the Roman economy, society and the family as well as slavery per se."--Suzanne Dixon, University of Queensland
"will do nicely for an undergraduate one-semester course on Roman history....The book has lots in it and the better students will profit."--Thomas H. Watkins, Western Illinois University
"An informed interpretive essay on the means of social control inherent in the system of slavery in imperial Rome....The value of the book comes from the coherence and persuasiveness of [Bradley's] interpretation."--American Historical Review
"An ideal book to recommend to students as an introduction to the controversies and problems of methodology involved in the study of ancient slavery....An excellent introductory survey."--Classical Review
"In compact and accessible prose, Bradley has produced an innovative work of scholarship eminently suitable for courses on the Roman economy, society and the family as well as slavery per se."--Suzanne Dixon, University of Queensland
"will do nicely for an undergraduate one-semester course on Roman history....The book has lots in it and the better students will profit."--Thomas H. Watkins, Western Illinois University
About the Author
K. R. Bradley is at University of Victoria, British Columbia.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
an excellent book,
By TammyJo Eckhart "TammyJo Eckhart" (Bloomington, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE)
This review is from: Slaves and Masters in the Roman Empire: A Study in Social Control (Paperback)
This book is an excellent introduction to the social condition of slavery in the Roman world. The only thing lacking is more of a historical sense of how things changed and why. Bradley does a good job of balancing the "master" view with the "slave" view, presenting several sides to each issue without much moralizing of his own -- a rare thing often in the history of slavery. A good book for both undergraduate and graduate and a good basic text to begin research from.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating speculation about how slaves were controlled,
By
This review is from: Slaves and Masters in the Roman Empire: A Study in Social Control (Paperback)
Bradley asks how the Romans controlled their slaves. He discovers that "It is indisputable that physical coercion from the owner played a large part in servile life...and that subjection to brutality was a basic component of slavery" (p 122).
There were all kinds of slaves, from the workers in the mines, who apparently endured unbelievable cruelty, to the pampered nannies of the rich. It is difficult to truly understand Roman slaves since there is no slave literature (p 18). However, we have the records which have been left, and the advice about slaves left by wealthy landowners. Slaves appear to have been considered utterly base by their owners. The owners had a long litany of complaints about their slaves. They stole; they lied; they were lazy, were common complaints. Although Roman law forbade slaves to marry, slaves of course did form families, although they could be sold at any time. There appear to have been many more male slaves than female ones (p 73). Some were later freed, perhaps by wills, or perhaps by saving up enough money to buy their own freedom. "Domitian first forbade the castration of slaves" ( 128), although eunuchs were ubiquitous for centuries. A fascinating book.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating speculation about how slaves were controlled,
By
This review is from: Slaves and Masters in the Roman Empire: A Study in Social Control (Paperback)
Bradley asks how the Romans controlled their slaves. He discovers that "It is indisputable that physical coercion from the owner played a large part in servile life...and that subjection to brutality was a basic component of slavery" (p 122).
There were all kinds of slaves, from the workers in the mines, who apparently endured unbelievable cruelty, to the pampered nannies of the rich. It is difficult to truly understand Roman slaves since there is no slave literature (p 18). However, we have the records which have been left, and the advice about slaves left by wealthy landowners. Slaves appear to have been considered utterly base by their owners. The owners had a long litany of complaints about their slaves. They stole; they lied; they were lazy, were common complaints. Although Roman law forbade slaves to marry, slaves of course did form families, although they could be sold at any time. There appear to have been many more male slaves than female ones (p 73). Some were later freed, perhaps by wills, or perhaps by saving up enough money to buy their own freedom. "Domitian first forbade the castration of slaves" ( 128), although eunuchs were ubiquitous for centuries. A fascinating book.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
The Roman agricultural writer Columella provides in his work, the Res Rusticae, important information on the subject of how to manage and to treat slave labourers on the farm. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
servile point, servile loyalty, servile life, testamentary manumission, slavery legislation, slave management, rural slaves, familial stability, servile population, agricultural slaves, urban slaves, slavery system, imperial age Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Pedanius Secundus, Roman Egypt, Larcius Macedo, Res Rusticae, Select Papyri, Vedius Pollio, Dio Chrysostom, Marcus Aurelius, Antoninus Pius, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, New York, Servius Tullius New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
The Roman agricultural writer Columella provides in his work, the Res Rusticae, important information on the subject of how to manage and to treat slave labourers on the farm. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
servile point, servile loyalty, servile life, testamentary manumission, slavery legislation, slave management, rural slaves, familial stability, servile population, agricultural slaves, urban slaves, slavery system, imperial age Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Pedanius Secundus, Roman Egypt, Larcius Macedo, Res Rusticae, Select Papyri, Vedius Pollio, Dio Chrysostom, Marcus Aurelius, Antoninus Pius, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, New York, Servius Tullius New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 45
books:
See all 45 books this book cites
71
books
cite this book:
See all 71 books citing this book
- Select Papyri, Volume II, Public Documents: Codes and Regulations, Edicts and Orders, Public Announcements, Reports of Meetings, Judicial Business, ... and Others (Loeb Classical Library No. 282) by A. S. Hunt on 4 pages
- An Economic Survey of Ancient Rome by Tenney Frank on page 117, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Roman Law (The Gray lectures, 1966 [i.e. 1966-7]) by David Daube on page 61, and Back Matter
- The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume 1, AD 260-395 by A. H. M. Jones in Front Matter
- Grain-Mills and Flour in Classical Antiquity (Ancient Economic History) by L. A. Moritz in Front Matter
See all 45 books this book cites
- Slaves in the New Testament: Literary, Social, and Moral Dimensions by J. Albert Harrill in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- Introduction to the New Testament, Vol. 1: History, Culture, and Religion of the Hellenistic Age (2nd edition) by Walter De Gruyter on page 57, and page 315
- From Every People and Nation by David Rhoads on page 108, and Back Matter
- Who Rides the Beast?: Prophetic Rivalry and the Rhetoric of Crisis in the Churches of the Apocalypse by Paul B. Duff in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- The Letter to the Ephesians (Pillar New Testament Commentary) by Peter T. O'Brien in Front Matter, and page 450
See all 71 books citing this book
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