Roman slavery: a brutal life in the ancient empire

Guy de la Bédoyère reveals why the Roman empire simply couldn't have functioned without the labour (and the suffering) of its captive population

Published: October 18, 2024 at 7:00 AM

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How many slaves were there in the Roman empire? Were they cruelly treated, or could they sometimes go on to win fame, fortune and freedom? And how often did they – like Spartacus –rebel? Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Guy de la Bédoyère explores the remarkable, and often brutal, history of slavery in the ancient world's most powerful empire.

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(Ad) Guy de la Bédoyère is the author of Populus: Living and Dying in the Wealth, Smoke and Din of Ancient Rome (Abacus, 2024).

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Hannah Platts takes listeners on a multi-sensory tour of the ancient Roman home, here

Authors

Spencer MizenSenior production editor

Spencer is senior production editor of HistoryExtra magazine

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