Slaves and War

Abstract Abstract and Keywords War, piracy, and banditry resulted in people’s enslavement and were sources of supply for the slave workforce. Many slaves in Graeco-Roman society were the product of conflict, though uncertainties often remain about precise numbers. War was primarily the business of citizens and free men. However, it was normal for armies to include slaves as attendants. In the Greek world, in particular, slaves frequently served as rowers in the fleet; they could also sometimes be involved as combatants in land warfare, especially when conscripted in crisis situations—although it is frequently impossible to calculate numbers of slave combatants. Some slaves took more active initiatives, volunteering to fight or provide logistical support for the state in which they resided, fleeing from servitude, or assisting the enemy. Occasionally, slaves initiated and fought wars of rebellion, especially in late Republican Rome. The roles and impact of slaves in war were often significant, if incalculable.