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



Modifié le: mardi 21 mai 2019, 08:09