Busting the Myth: Ancient Slavery Was Far Worse Than Believed

As someone who researches slavery in the ancient Mediterranean region, especially in the Bible, I often hear comments like, “Slavery was completely different in those times, right?” “Well, it must not have been that bad.” “Could slaves purchase their own freedom?”

Most individuals in the United States or Europe during the 21st century have a greater understanding of the transatlantic slave trade, and reside in societiesdeeply shaped by it. People can observe the impacts of modern slavery in many places frommass incarceration and housing segregation to voting habits.

On the other hand, the impacts of ancient slavery are not as evident today—and most Americans have a general understanding of what it was like. Some individuals might imagine biblical tales, such as the story of Joseph’s jealous brothersselling him into slavery. Others might imagine films such as “Spartacus,” or the myth surrounding enslaved individualsbuilt the Egyptian pyramids.

Since this type of slavery occurred so long ago and was not rooted in contemporary racism, some individuals believe thatthey were not as severe or aggressiveThat notion provides space for public figures such as Christian theologian and analytic philosopher William Lane Craig to contend thatancient slavery did have certain advantages slavery in ancient times was actually advantageous the practice of slavery in ancient times had its benefits ancient forms of slavery were, in some ways, beneficial there were positive aspects to slavery in ancient societies slavery during ancient times provided some advantages the system of slavery in ancient eras had its merits ancient slavery had some beneficial elements there were advantages to the institution of slavery in ancient times slavery in the past had certain benefits for enslaved people.

Modern factors like capitalism and racist pseudoscienceshaped the transatlantic slave trade in distinctly horrifying and long-lasting manners. Enslaved labor, for instance,shaped economists’ theoriesregarding the “free market” and international commerce.

But to grasp slavery from that time – or to fight against slavery now – we must also comprehend the extended history of forced labor. Asa researcher specializing in ancient slavery and early Christian history, I frequently come across three misconceptions that hinder the comprehension of ancient slavery and the development of enslavement systems throughout history.

Myth #1: There is a single type of ‘biblical slavery’

The body of texts that became part of the Bible reflects hundreds of years of authors from various regions around the Mediterranean and Mesopotamia, often writing under vastly different conditions, which makes it challenging to draw broad conclusions about how slavery functioned in “biblical” societies. Most importantly,the Hebrew Bible– what Christians refer to as “the Old Testament” – originated mainly in the ancient Near East, whereas the New Testament developed during the early Roman Empire.

Different forms of enslavement and forced labor in the ancient Near East, such as in regions like Egypt, Syria, and Iran, did not always involve chattel slavery, where enslaved individuals were treated as property. Instead, some people were enslaved for a limited period.to settle their financial obligations.

However, this was not true for all individuals who were enslaved in the ancient Near East, and certainly notduring the later Roman Republic and the early Roman Empire, where millions were moved and compelled to work in household, city, and farming environments.

Due to the variety of time periods and cultures that contributed to the creation of biblical literature, there is no such thing as a single “biblical slavery.”

Nor is there one specific “biblical viewpoint” on slavery. The most that can be stated is that no biblical passages or authors directly criticize the system of enslavement or the practice of chattel slavery. More significant Christian challenges to slavery began in the fourth century C.E., in the works of individuals such as St.Gregory of Nyssaa religious scholar who resided in Cappadocia, located in modern-day Turkey.

Myth #2: Slavery in ancient times was not as harsh

Similar to Myth #1, this misconception often arises from mixing certain Near Eastern and Egyptian practices of forced labor, such as debt bondage, with the chattel slavery seen in Greek and Roman societies. When concentrating on other types of involuntary labor within particular ancient civilizations, it’s simple to disregard the extensive nature of chattel slavery and its severity.

Nevertheless, throughout the ancient Mediterranean, there is proof of numerous brutal customs:branding, whipping, bodily disfiguration, sexual assault, suffering during legal proceedings, imprisonment, execution by crucifixion, and other forms of punishment. Indeed,A Latin inscription from Puteoli, an ancient city near Naples, Italy, describes the payments that enslavers made to undertakers to beat or crucify enslaved individuals.

Christians were not excluded from taking part in this brutality. Archaeologists have discovered collars from Italy and North Africa that were used by enslaversimposed on their enslaved individuals, proposing a reward for their return if they have escaped. Some of these collars feature Christian symbols such as the chi-rho (☧), which represents the first two letters of Jesus’ name in Greek. One collar states that the enslaved individual should be returned to their master, “Felix the archdeacon.”

It’s challenging to impose modern ethical standards on earlier periods, especially civilizations from thousands of years ago. However, even in an ancient world where slavery was prevalentwas ever present, it is evident that not all individuals accepted the ideology of the ruling enslavers. There are accounts of several slave uprisings in Greece and Italy – most notably, that of theescaped gladiator Spartacus.

Myth #3: Slavery in ancient times was not based on discrimination

Slavery in the ancient Mediterranean was not rooted in race or skin color like the transatlantic slave trade, but this does not imply that ancient systems of bondage were not discriminatory.

A significant portion of the history of slavery in Greek and Roman societies focused on capturing individuals.from other groupsAthenians subjugating non-Athenians, Spartans subjugating non-Spartans, Romans subjugating non-Romans. Typically captured or defeated in battle, these enslaved individuals were either relocated to a different region or remained on their native land and forced to work as agricultural laborers or household servants for their rulers. Roman law mandated that a slave’s “natio,” or country of origin, beannounced during auctions.

Ancient Mediterranean slaveholders favored acquiring individuals from diverse regions due to prevailing stereotypes about their distinct traits. Varro, a scholar who wrote aboutthe management of agriculture, claimed that a slaveholder should not have too many enslaved individuals from the same country or who could communicate in the same language, as they might unite and rise up against their oppressors.

Ancient slavery continued to rely on labeling certain groups of individuals as “others,” and viewed them as completely distinct from their captors.

The image of slavery that most Americans know was greatly influenced by its era, especially modern racism and capitalism. However, other types of slavery throughout history were just as “real.” Learning about them and their causes could help combat slavery now and in the future—especially when some politicians are once again arguing that transatlantic slavery wasn’t so bad.benefited enslaved people.

This piece is reprinted fromThe Conversation, a non-profit, independent news outlet providing you with facts and reliable analysis to help you understand our complicated world. It was written by:Chance Bonar, Tufts University