Slavery in ancient Rome differed greatly from the practice as it existed in America. In the United States, slaves were usually bound for life and could be easily bought and sold. In Rome, however, a slave occupied a much more temporary position. Anyone could become a slave, through conquest and subsequent capture by enemies or through simple indebtedness. Most importantly, slaves were mobile. Slaves were able to buy their freedom and, even if they remained slaves, could reach extremely powerful positions. Under Augustus, the highest financial positions in the bureaucracy (equivalent to Secretary of the Treasury) were held by freedmen or Imperial slaves. This coin, stuck in Gallia Belgica around 10 BC, closely imitates an issue of Lugdunum quadrantes of 15 BC. Struck by Germanus, the freedman of Indutillus, it brilliantly illustrates the social mobility of slaves in ancient Rome. Augustus Struck under Germanus, freedman of Indutillus AE Quadrans 17mm, 2.7g Gallia Belgica, c. 10 BC Diademed female bust r. Bull butting left GERMANVS / INDVTILLI L RPC 506, RIC 249, Scheers Traite 216
Yes, quite interesting. Illustrates well the peculiarities of Roman society. I woder if Germanus was an enslaved Germanic warrior? On another level, I also find interesting their practice of sequestering the sons of capative chieftains to educate them as roman citizens, and so ensure their loyalty toward Rome upon their release.
Ancient mores differed from what we conceptualize they would have been in many ways. They had differing views of what was family, religions etc. It can be conjectured that in some manner that contributed to the success of the Roman Empire, that the society was a bit more flexible and less rigid in it's approach to other peoples.
Well put. It is interesting how modern folks see 'Rome' in a different way than the 'Romans' did. After the first century AD, the emperor was rarely Italian (some hardly spoke Latin). It was a place where a man could rise to his level or die trying. Most died. Certainly there were slaves then that rose to positions of prominance but most just served.
Philip II was contemporaneously referred to as Philip the Arab, he was apparently from N. Africa. Similarly in the Ottoman Empire it was possible from someone to rise from a lowly slave all the way into the Janissaries and the Ottomans were remarkably tolerant of other religions like Christianity and Judaism.
