The Institution of Slavery in Ancient Roman Society
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Slaves within Italica proper (and particular Campania) lived quite a grand life. They were almost universally considered part of the family, and well fed and taken care of. While I am not advocating slavery by any means, we must recognize that in antiquity, indeed life could have been much worse. Wealthy Romans in Italy often owned as many as 10,000 slaves if you can believe it. Wealth was partitioned to the few then, but their slaves lived well. This is of course off-set by those who toiled in the provinces, in the mines and quarries who led short and terrible lives.
As Adrian mentioned, upon the collapse of the empire (and at this time, it was recognized that slaves were more expensive than hiring free-men...directly related to obvious output levels differing) life for all diminished....life quality that is.
In the Mediterranean environment, you needn't be absurdly wealthy to live well. There were jobs for able-bodied citizens, particularly for men in the professional army (although this was obviously dangerous and too adventurous for some), so steady pay could be had. The most important difference from after the collapse (again as Adrian pointed out), was the presence (pre-collapse) of all the public buildings. The forums, bathhouses, and theatres...amenities unheard of in Medieval times....were provided at a VERY low cost because the Imperator's personal coiffeurs were used to subsidize costs here. As you can see, the quality of life was not to be known again until Victorian times I would argue (and I would make room here for Charlemagne's brief recovery of the Holy Roman Empire), and this is to say nothing of the gardens, fresh drinking water brought in by AQUEDUCTS and the obvious gladiatorial games and festivals like days of Saturnalia and others that were provided.
Though, this in no way excuses slavery, and/or am I saying that all had luxurious and pleasant lives. But the plight of the Roman citizen (as Adrian mentioned, working plumbing was widespread) was greater than most individuals of antiquity. Far more suffered under the great and burdensome rule of the Pharaohs than this.
Roman citizenry itself was such a particularly peculiar institution.
Racism may have always been present, and I will not argue here that it has not, yet it is interesting that the racism was divided Roman/Barbarian. While I will not pretend that Italians, did not recognize that Spaniards and Greeks were 'different', I submit that the very nature of fluidity in the hierarchical public service and imperial structure thought little of race. Trajan was Spanish (as were many other emperors), and Septimus Severus was African. The importance was placed on whether Roman citizenry was held or not. This is not to suggest that it is a better way of dealing with things...yet fascinating it it's uniqueness.
Many people scoffed in the finale to 'Gladiator' when Juba (a black slave was allowed to go free...claiming that it would NEVER happen). But slaves were freed constantly by their master's in antiquity, and what most do not realize, is that a slave was freed as a slave.....black, white, or what have you....and then they were a 'freed man', or maybe even gained 'citizen' status......but race in all encounter was a tertiary consideration. that pervasive problem of identity of the skin seems to have been supplanted by problems associated with civic status.
Ok, that’s the end of the dissertation......for now.... =)
Greg
P.S. Anyone who wants recommended reading on any aspect of 'Classical Antiquity', I have a veritable library of the stuff, and my connection at Queen's (my Archaeology Prof.), Dr. Dietmar Hagel can also recommend some titles. Just let me know.
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