Search engine for discovering works of Art, research articles, and books related to Art and Culture
Javascript must be enabled to continue!
Manumission
View through CrossRef
Abstract
While manumission has been practised in almost all slave societies the Romans appear to have freed their slaves with unparalleled frequency. The chapter looks at three aspects of Roman manumission: the status of freedmen, the Augustan reforms of manumission and the legal discourse on freedmen under the Empire. It is suggested that the background for the Roman practice of enfranchising former slaves should be sought in the social and legal structures of early Rome, which delegated many “state” functions to the heads of households. The enfranchisement of freedmen was compatible with the political structures of the Republic, but in response to changes to the Roman citizenship the first emperor introduced a new legal framework, which remained until late Antiquity. The details of this framework were refined over the following centuries, as jurists explored a wide range of complex legal issues associated with manumission and the place of freedmen in society.
Title: Manumission
Description:
Abstract
While manumission has been practised in almost all slave societies the Romans appear to have freed their slaves with unparalleled frequency.
The chapter looks at three aspects of Roman manumission: the status of freedmen, the Augustan reforms of manumission and the legal discourse on freedmen under the Empire.
It is suggested that the background for the Roman practice of enfranchising former slaves should be sought in the social and legal structures of early Rome, which delegated many “state” functions to the heads of households.
The enfranchisement of freedmen was compatible with the political structures of the Republic, but in response to changes to the Roman citizenship the first emperor introduced a new legal framework, which remained until late Antiquity.
The details of this framework were refined over the following centuries, as jurists explored a wide range of complex legal issues associated with manumission and the place of freedmen in society.
Related Results
Manumission
Manumission
Along the western rim of the Atlantic basin, slavery’s growth was primarily in response to economic imperatives. The sugar industry, in particular, drove much of the flow of the tr...
Abolition and manumission in the Beherawi and Betasabawi realms in early 20th century Ethiopia
Abolition and manumission in the Beherawi and Betasabawi realms in early 20th century Ethiopia
This article examines how older ideas about manumission came into contact with newer international approaches to abolition in Ethiopia in the early 20th century. It shows that olde...
The End of Enslavement, ‘Greek style’
The End of Enslavement, ‘Greek style’
Abstract
This chapter examines the processes through which slaves in ancient Greek communities exited slavery, as well as their status and condition as freed peop...
The Erotics of Manumussion: Prostitutes and the πρᾶσις ἐπ’ ἐλευθερίᾳ
The Erotics of Manumussion: Prostitutes and the πρᾶσις ἐπ’ ἐλευθερίᾳ
This paper explores evidence for third party manumissions, indicated in the sources by forms of λυέσθαι and λυτρώσασθαι. It considers the procedure followed and the legal status of...
Society and slaves
Society and slaves
In the early colonies, alternative forms of society could be a source of anxiety. Religious and social cohesion was a concern in what was often an unmastered environment. Accounts ...
Gender and Slavery
Gender and Slavery
Abstract
This chapter investigates the relation between gender and slavery among the Greeks and Romans. It considers the gendered division of labour for slaves wi...
The Freedman in the Roman World
The Freedman in the Roman World
Freedmen occupied a complex and often problematic place in Roman society between slaves on the one hand and freeborn citizens on the other. Playing an extremely important role in t...