Released slaves in ancient Rome took honor from paid work

Roman society was a society of slave holders. Slaves were everywhere: they kept agriculture rotating, so struggled in the mines and took care of the household. Around the start of our era, a third of the inhabitants of Italy were slave: two million of the six million.

What made the Roman slavery system different from elsewhere was the fact that the Romans released slaves on a large scale. Some of these released and kicked it very far. For example, Tiberius Claudius Narcissus is famous and notorious, a released slave who was the power behind the throne of Emperor Claudius.

Much has already been published about this kind of male released, but what happened with mechanized slaves is less known. That is why Emily Hemelrijk, emeritus professor of Ancient History at the University of Amsterdam, decided to write a book about it. Of Finally free. How women in the Roman Empire left slavery behind she outlines the challenges that these brand new citizens were confronted with.

Because these women have not left letters or memoirs, Hemelrijk is dependent on grave inscriptions for its source material. That was a book published by her in 2021 About Roman women outside of Rome Even the case, and that restriction is again not a nuisance. Enough information can be won from these types of short necrologies.

Unlike men, who prevailed themselves, women were usually bought free by others, often a former fellow slave and partner. It is interesting to see that after the release, owners often kept cherishing warm feelings for their former possession, as is apparent from this burial inscription: « To the divine shadow of Servia Cornelia Sabina, released from Serbius. Serbius Dolabella Metillianus founded this for his nurse and » Mammaatje « , who deserved this, who deserved. »

Many of the released women continued to practice the profession that they had also done as a slave. That could be the fed, such as Servia, but also hairdresser, weaver, musician, or hospitality employee, such as a « graceful Amemone » from Tivoli. She was « a celebrated worth, whose fame reached far beyond the boundaries of her beloved father’s city. Many people visited Tibur time and time again because of her. »

Life for released slaves was certainly not always about roses. Hemelrijk emphasizes that in the eyes of the elite they always remained second -class citizens. A woman from stand should not do work, not even paid. « Rather than rejecting this ideal, » concludes Hemelrijk, « seem to have stretched female released, so that the virtues of the matrona Merging with a profession as a doctor, midwife or innkeeper. For example, they presented themselves on their grave as respectable Roman wives and skilled professionals. ”

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