In elementary school my teacher told us that in ancient rome, slaves were dressed up in ordinary clothes by their owners, not out of kindness but so that they would not realise how many they were and how easy they could overpower their masters. I think on that alot these days. #sweden #Luigi #CEO - ThreadSky

linnlaio.bsky.social • 73 days ago

In elementary school my teacher told us that in ancient rome, slaves were dressed up in ordinary clothes by their owners, not out of kindness but so that they would not realise how many they were and how easy they could overpower their masters.
I think on that alot these days.
#sweden #Luigi #CEO

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thatonefuckin11.bsky.social•73 days ago

Rome had a weird view of slaves in general. Like when there was a slave revolt that succeeded, they never considered slaves in general wanted to be free, just the slaves that took part in the revolt (like a worker's strike almost). It was very strange.

thebeardedhalfling.bsky.social•73 days ago

I read someone explained it is because more modern slavery changes how we view ancient slavery. Ancient slavery was much more akin to medieval feudalism than modern slavery.

It was never okay, but modern slavery just industrialised the process and somehow made it even less humanised.

thatonefuckin11.bsky.social•73 days ago

And just the different varieties of slavery in the ancient world. Chattel slavery (like the Atlantic slave trade) was very different to Roman slavery which was also very different to the Helot slavery the Spartans practiced. Being a slave meant different things in each.

thebeardedhalfling.bsky.social•73 days ago

And that's even before you get the thralls of the vikings and the even more confusing Mamluk kings.

If anything the collective term slavery is historically unhelpful.

thatonefuckin11.bsky.social•73 days ago

That and trying to decide which one was the worst kind of slavery.

thebeardedhalfling.bsky.social•73 days ago

I would personally say the chattel slavery is worse by some margin imo. Hellot slavery was more akin to a client state, Roman slavery was more like feudalism and mamluks were highly respected members of society. But nothing dehumanised more than chattel slavery imo.

billywarren007.bsky.social•73 days ago

gordonvincent.bsky.social•73 days ago

Also, there was a sense of shame. If you made all your slaves work naked, then the other masters pointed and laughed at you, and said you were too poor to clothe them properly.

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