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.
#1084344 in Books 1987-10-29Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 6.06 x .48 x 9.25l; .60 #File Name: 019520607X168 pages
Review
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful. A Master's Carrot and StickBy Martha MarksI found Slaves and Masters in the Roman Empire: A Study in Social Control to be a tremendous resource for accurately building the relationships between the slave and free characters in my novel; Rubies of the Viper. Anybody who is interested in this subject will find this book useful.Could slaves interact easily and openly with their owners? Were they educated? Smart? Moral? Loyal? The answer is: In many cases; yes.Certainly; there were many slaves who were uneducated; disloyal; conniving; and self-serving. Many never met their owners; much less built a personal relationship with them. Many adults and children were abused--sexually; physically; and psychologically--on a regular basis. Many spent their entire lives in conditions that we today simply cannot imagine or believe.But many Roman slaves managed their masters' estates competently and honestly. Many were true companions to their masters; often from childhood. Many served the same master loyally from birth to death.But they were still property... and that fact was never far from their minds.Every aspect of a Roman slave's life was 100% under the control of another person. The master determined what they ate and wore. What work they did; when; and how. What kinds of sexual relationships they could have.A master's understanding of what he wanted from his slaves--total obedience and loyalty; in most cases--and his methods of getting what he wanted were perfected long before the first century A.D. They consisted primarily of what we would call the carrot and the stick.The carrots: a tolerable life; decent food and living conditions; a semblance of family life; a chance to have their own savings and property (peculium); and a hope of manumissonThe sticks: corporal punishment; threats of being sold or sent to labor on a plantation; and even the possibility of death at the master's sole discretion0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Three StarsBy charles mostOKAY TO READ14 of 14 people found the following review helpful. an excellent bookBy TammyJo EckhartThis 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.
