What were slaves called in the Roman Empire?

servi publici
Public slaves (called servi publici) were owned by the Roman government. They might work on public building projects, for a government official, or in the emperor’s mines. Private slaves (called servi privati) were owned by an individual. They worked jobs such as household servants, laborers on farms, and craftsmen.

What rights did slaves have?

Slaves had few legal rights: in court their testimony was inadmissible in any litigation involving whites; they could make no contract, nor could they own property; even if attacked, they could not strike a white person.

How was slaves treated?

Slaves were punished by whipping, shackling, hanging, beating, burning, mutilation, branding, rape, and imprisonment. Punishment was often meted out in response to disobedience or perceived infractions, but sometimes abuse was performed to re-assert the dominance of the master (or overseer) over the slave.

What was life like for slaves?

Life on the fields meant working sunup to sundown six days a week and having food sometimes not suitable for an animal to eat. Plantation slaves lived in small shacks with a dirt floor and little or no furniture. Life on large plantations with a cruel overseer was oftentimes the worst.

Could slaves in ancient Rome marry?

At one point in Roman history, freed slaves had been forbidden to marry citizens. This restriction was relaxed by Emperor Augustus who passed a reform in 18 BC called the lex Julia so that, by the first century, freed slaves were only prohibited from marrying senators.

How did the use of slaves benefit the Roman economy?

They contributed to the housing economy. Cultivation of the crops would contribute to the Roman economy. The public and city-owned slaves had other jobs to perform their jobs which were to build roads and buildings and to repair the aqueducts that brought water to the citizens of Rome.