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Roman slaves: the hidden lives of the empire's invisible labour force

Roman slaves: the hidden lives of the empire's invisible labour force

Guy de la Bédoyère unveils the hidden stories of the enslaved Romans who shaped the fate of their empire from behind the scenes

Published: June 17, 2024 at 7:47 AM

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Rome’s slaves were brutalised, mocked, exploited – or simply ignored. Yet, writes Guy de la Bédoyère in this Long Read, the Roman empire could hardly have functioned without the labours of this captive population.

HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’s feature originally appeared in the May 2024 issue, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB.