The Imperative Role Of Slavery In Ancient Rome

Slavery in ancient Rome played an imperative role in the society as well as in the economy of the country. Slaves were mainly used as manual laborers for performing various domestic roles as well as high skilled jobs. It was not uncommon for slaves to be teachers; doctors, accountants and even physicians since most Greek slaves were highly educated. The unskilled slaves worked on farms, in mining sites and in the mills, and were unfortunately subjected to harsh living conditions. According to the Roman law, slaves were considered property of the state and they did not have any legal personhood similar to the rest of the roman citizens. This aside, slaves were allowed to hold property and use it however they pleased; yet the property was ultimately
In ancient Rome, the relationship between the master and the slave was complex and had many twists. For example, if a slave dealt with another person who was not his master, but the master was not affected by the transaction, then there was no obligation by the master. However, the master may have been liable for the actions carried out by their slave, if the slave was acting under their masters’ control or orders at the time, and as such, action against the master might occur. Although slavery represents just a small part in the domination of power, this was very useful in plays since it represented a dramatic representation to the audience. In Miles Gloriosus, the slaves were portrayed as an instrument of their masters; the masters had the right to rule over their slaves presenting a dramatic subject in their life. The portrayal of slavery in the play depicts the character of Palaestrio, a clever slave, as a hero, a figure with an upsurge of subversive energy. The slaves’ main strength was their attitude towards their masters. There are two types of slaves in Miles Gloriosus; the first one is the “good slave”, the one who accepts the rules set by their masters and believes that their master will adhere to the structure and all the punishments and rewards are as a result of their state. This slave is guided by an abstract moral scheme of what is good and bad, they are very keen to observe all the good things and obey their masters without any objection. A good example is Sceledrus; he does all what is right despite the struggles and oppression he has to