Slavery was a common practice amongst ancient peoples and sadly still exists in various forms to the modern day, it may likely exist well into the future.
Academically we can acknowledge that there are huge differences in various systems or periods of slavery among different cultures.
While race wasn’t the defining factor in Roman slavery it isn’t accurate to say that slaves were the spoils of war, during periods of expansion and conquest warfare was a major source of slaves, however the criminal justice system produced slaves as well as traders and a large source of semi steady slaves came to Rome through piracy- essentially kidnapping. The poor or desperate are recorded to have at times sold their children as slaves for money. In all of Rome estimates generally range from around 15-30% of the population being slaves, but over 50% of slaves were believed to be held by less than 2% of wealthy or powerful individuals.
Conceptually comparing these systems of slavery matters little. Roman slavery doesn’t become “good” or palatable when compared to the Atlantic slave trade nor do we need to look at either example to know that the other is wrong. When we get the the point where we are splitting hairs on what is LESS wrong, we still know what we are talking about is wrong plain and simple. The average life expectancy of a Roman slave was under the age of 17. Even for the time this was ridiculously low.
Few if any person of healthy mind and possessing any intellect if given the choice to be any one in society through time would choose to live as a slave. We can argue if we had to be a slave we’d rather be a slave in a certain time or place etc, but that isn’t a choice anyone should ever have to make and the issue is that slavery across cultures tends to force itself on a person. The core of the thing is rotten and ugly regardless of the specifics.
Academically we can acknowledge that there are huge differences in various systems or periods of slavery among different cultures.
While race wasn’t the defining factor in Roman slavery it isn’t accurate to say that slaves were the spoils of war, during periods of expansion and conquest warfare was a major source of slaves, however the criminal justice system produced slaves as well as traders and a large source of semi steady slaves came to Rome through piracy- essentially kidnapping. The poor or desperate are recorded to have at times sold their children as slaves for money. In all of Rome estimates generally range from around 15-30% of the population being slaves, but over 50% of slaves were believed to be held by less than 2% of wealthy or powerful individuals.
Few if any person of healthy mind and possessing any intellect if given the choice to be any one in society through time would choose to live as a slave. We can argue if we had to be a slave we’d rather be a slave in a certain time or place etc, but that isn’t a choice anyone should ever have to make and the issue is that slavery across cultures tends to force itself on a person. The core of the thing is rotten and ugly regardless of the specifics.