Slaves and Slavery in Ancient Rome

Enormous numbers of slaves were absorbed into Roman society from the third century B.C. onwards. Mainly enslaved prisoners of war, they transformed the quality of life in the Roman Empire beyond recognition.

In this anthology the author offers a complete collection of Greek and Latin sources in an English translation which deal with the great slave rebellions in the second and first centuries B.C. In a postscript Zvi Yavetz surveys the controversy on slaves and slavery from the French Revolution to our own days, with an emphasis on the debate between Marxists and non-Marxists.

The book is intended for specialists and generalists alike, including those who have had no previous classical education, but could after delving in sources concern themselves with one of the most intriguing problems in world history.