The Population of Rome in the year 128 A D was 1,000,000, the number of slaves included in that number amounted to a staggering 350,000.
Thousands of ordinary people living in countries around the Mediterranean, in most of the countries of Europe, including the Baltics, Africa and the Middle East, were torn from the bosom of their families by hordes of Roman Soldiers and shipped off to the Slave Market in Rome.
The Romans would choose only the young and strong to be slaves, the elderly and the sick would have been ignored or killed, but all the children were taken.
On their arrival in the Eternal City, they were subjected to the indignity of being auctioned off like dumb animals, for that is what they were thought to be by many Romans.
Babies were ripped from the arms of their mothers and taken away by new parents.
Fathers with strong backs and arms, were dragged away and sent to work in the Mines.
These are the stories of a few of the slaves and their lives in their new country, not all the slave masters were cruel and mean, many believed that treating them humanely and feeding them well,
brought out the best in them, resulting in a higher standard of work and more productivity.
Titus is a boy from Cartagena, in the country of Hispania, he was taken captive, along with his parents, brother and sister, and shipped across the sea to Rome.
There was a glimmer of light for Slaves however, to win back their freedom.
A good and caring employer may grant freedom to any slave, but this was usually after twenty years or more, of good service.
Another way however, was to sign up to become a Gladiator, fight in the magnificent Arena of the Coliseum and win several fights, the money offered by the rich organizers was more than enough to buy back their freedom, and to enjoy a good life.
Thousands of ordinary people living in countries around the Mediterranean, in most of the countries of Europe, including the Baltics, Africa and the Middle East, were torn from the bosom of their families by hordes of Roman Soldiers and shipped off to the Slave Market in Rome.
The Romans would choose only the young and strong to be slaves, the elderly and the sick would have been ignored or killed, but all the children were taken.
On their arrival in the Eternal City, they were subjected to the indignity of being auctioned off like dumb animals, for that is what they were thought to be by many Romans.
Babies were ripped from the arms of their mothers and taken away by new parents.
Fathers with strong backs and arms, were dragged away and sent to work in the Mines.
These are the stories of a few of the slaves and their lives in their new country, not all the slave masters were cruel and mean, many believed that treating them humanely and feeding them well,
brought out the best in them, resulting in a higher standard of work and more productivity.
Titus is a boy from Cartagena, in the country of Hispania, he was taken captive, along with his parents, brother and sister, and shipped across the sea to Rome.
There was a glimmer of light for Slaves however, to win back their freedom.
A good and caring employer may grant freedom to any slave, but this was usually after twenty years or more, of good service.
Another way however, was to sign up to become a Gladiator, fight in the magnificent Arena of the Coliseum and win several fights, the money offered by the rich organizers was more than enough to buy back their freedom, and to enjoy a good life.
