Though slaves were generally considered property, Roman society did provide a legal mechanism for the emancipation of slaves—manumission. Slaves could be freed by their masters for a variety of reasons, including exceptional service, the payment of a certain amount of money (through the process of peculium, a slave's savings), or in some cases, a
Slavery in ancient Rome was a fundamental part of the empire's economy and society. Slaves played essential roles in agriculture, households, industry, and even in the military, and their treatment varied depending on their position and the attitudes of their masters. One of the central questions regarding slavery in ancient Rome is whether slaves
The Roman Republic’s expansion reached new heights during the Punic Wars (264 BCE – 146 BCE), a series of three wars fought against the powerful Carthaginian Empire in North Africa. The Punic Wars were crucial in extending Roman territory and solidifying its power in the western Mediterranean. First Punic War (264 BCE – 241 BCE): Rome’s
By the time of the fall of the Roman Republic in 27 BCE, Rome controlled a vast territory that stretched from the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the borders of modern-day Iraq in the east. The Roman Republic had expanded its influence through a combination of military conquest, diplomacy, and political alliances, establishing itself as the preemi