NationStates Jolt Archive

Roman slaves were treated as enslaved humans, the slaves in America were treated as posessed animals (No, I'm not saying the slaves were animals).

Roman slaves, when freed, were granted full Roman rights. They were able to gain citizenship, run for office, vote in elections, own other slaves, be treated to a fair trial, etc. Essentially, once freed their entire slave history went out the window.

American slaves, when freed (Which they rarely ever were), were still second class citizens. They couldn't gain citizenship, they couldn't vote, they couldn't run for office (kind of a given since they couldn't be citizens), they were treated barely above animals. Essentially, once a slave, always a slave.

However, America eventually abolished its slavery while Rome continued the practice until the day it fell.

Just a random tidbit to think about.

Another thing


The majority of American states voted to abolish slavery following their independence from Britain. Following the Civil War, a war costing around 200-400,000 white lives, thousands of black slaves were freed.

Rome, however, did jack squat apparently.

http://www.jimloy.com/history/civil1.gif

Hmm I guess it was the heroic Germanic tribes who freed all these slaves by conquering Rome then ;)

Roman slavery was based on conquoring people... American slavery on stealing people. It's essentially the same thing, giving one human being absolute power over another. Dispicable any way you look at it.

Roman slaves were treated as enslaved humans, the slaves in America were treated as posessed animals (No, I'm not saying the slaves were animals).

This part is true, or at least is the same as what I've learned :)

Roman slaves, when freed, were granted full Roman rights. They were able to gain citizenship, run for office, vote in elections, own other slaves, be treated to a fair trial, etc. Essentially, once freed their entire slave history went out the window.

American slaves, when freed (Which they rarely ever were), were still second class citizens. They couldn't gain citizenship, they couldn't vote, they couldn't run for office (kind of a given since they couldn't be citizens), they were treated barely above animals. Essentially, once a slave, always a slave.

This isn't quite true. Amendments 13-15 were all past within 5 years of each other. It was grandfather clauses and Jim Crow laws (which from my understanding weren't actual laws, just rules used to imtimidate blacks) that kept them from voting, running for office, etc.

Maybe not the Romans, but I think it was the Greeks who had a rule that slaves were to be freed after seven years of service. Not bad. Not great, but at least you knew you would be free someday.

Maybe not the Romans, but I think it was the Greeks who had a rule that slaves were to be freed after seven years of service. Not bad. Not great, but at least you knew you would be free someday.
I think that may have been the Hebrews. I cannot remember the proper Greek term, but it translates as "tool that talks" roughly. However that is the extent of my knowledge on Greek slavery.

I suppose it depends on your view, is it better to be seen as simply subhuman or as an equivilent of a chisel?

I think that may have been the Hebrews. I cannot remember the proper Greek term, but it translates as "tool that talks" roughly. However that is the extent of my knowledge on Greek slavery.

I suppose it depends on your view, is it better to be seen as simply subhuman or as an equivilent of a chisel?
It also depends on which period in Greek history and which city-state you're looking at. Some were more enlightened than others.

All in all, I don't see the point of the original comparison though. Neither nations are practising slavery, it's in the past.

Maybe not the Romans, but I think it was the Greeks who had a rule that slaves were to be freed after seven years of service. Not bad. Not great, but at least you knew you would be free someday.

That was specifically the Athenians. Every city-state had its own rules on the matter. Places like Sparta were not nearly as lenient as Athens.