Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-12-01
Gbe Anti 9Iauerp Bu9Ie.
From the Watchman and Reflector.
GRECIAN AND ROMAN SLAVERY.

GREClAN AND ROMAN SLAVERY.
The population of that part of Ancient Greece,
called Attca, is reckoned at 100000. OF that,
about 365, 900 were slaves, including women and
children, thus making the proportion of the slave
to the free people nearly as four to one. These
slaves were not generally negroes or blacks, but
were as white as the Athenians themselves. Mul-
titudes of them were Greeks, and these not un-
frequently of the more cultivated classes
Slaves we're procured in several ways. Some,
baing poor, and perhaps deeply in debt, went into
voluntary servitude as means Of Subsistence.
Oshers. especially persons of high birth, were
stolen and sold to the traders at very high price
Plato and Diogenes were thus at one time sold as
slaves. Offenders against the laws we're often
sentenced to slavery. Bion the philosopher, with
all his family, was sold into bondage, Tor viola
lation of some custom-house regulations. But
more than all, slaves were obtained by the chan
ces of war, which was often waged for the express
purpose of obtaining captves, both male and fe-
male. Thug, Homer says, in the Had, "These
are .he evils that follow the capture OF town;
the men are killed, the city is burned to the
ground, the women and children of al ranks are
carried off for slaves"
The treatment of slaves in Greece was extreme
ly cruel. They were beaten with rods and scour
ges for the most trivial offences; it even custo-
mary to fog them once year. for no offence, just
TO remind them Of their degradation. They were
branded with hot iron, usually in the forehead
SO deep as to leave distinct impression of certain
letters. For offensive words they often had their
tongues cut out For theft or desertion they
were racked on the wheel and frequently tortured
to death. They were made to serve in wars, and
sometimes they were faithful, but their vast num-
Der made them dangerous to the State. They fire.
4aehtly made insurrection; overwhelmed their OPP
prsssors, and for long periods maintained the as
tendency. Vast numbers of slaves were employed
in the mines and those who pershed in those dis
NAL recesses might be reckoned by millions. n,
Roman slavery PRESENTS if possible, even darAo
features. At the time of Christ, and for q centu-
ry or two AFTER Italy contained population of
about % 100000. OF these more than 10000, 900
were slaves, making about three slaves to one
freeman. They were obtained, as in Greece by
war, by commerce, by the operation of law against
criminals, and by birth, it being Roman law that
The children Of a slave mother should be slaves
After the conquest of Samnium, $4,000 persons
were sold. Emiiius Paullus sold into slavery, at
one time 1900 people, called Epirores and so 600
captives were at another time sent home from Car
thags. During the Macedonian, Grecian and
Spanish wars, ,prodigious numbers of captves we're
sent to Rome and reduced to slavery. Besides all
this, slave trade regularly carried on in the
East ThrAcs and Sarmatia being the Guinea Coast
Of the Romans Strabo tells US that at Delos the
gtsat mart of this trade, 10000 slaves were sold
in market upon one day. Caesar in his Gallic
wars is estimated to have taken more than 400 900
prisoners, who we're held in servitude. To coun-
tries where slaves were reckoned by millions in
dividuals would of course own large number.
From one to five hundred was common number.
and some persons had 5000 and even 5000
slaves.
The condition Of slaves under the Roman law
was one of awful cruelty and suffering The lash
and rod were in constant use, and on the most
trivial occasionI If a slave spoke or coughed at
4 forbidden time, he was Aoggod by very severe
master. The toilet of lady of fashion was ter
rible ordeal for a slave. A stray curl was an un-
pardonable ofsnse, and the slaves back was gored
for the faults of the mirror. Thongs loaded with
lead, and the chains with weights of bonze or tin
at the end, were common instruments of correc.
tion, as were also vine sprouts, Tyre strings and
forceps. Cruel masters often hired torturers By
profession, and kept them in their establishments
and many horrible torments were Inflicted BY
them, such as dislscation upon the wheel, and the
destruction of noFes, ears, eyes and teeth. Cruel
fxion was frequently made the fate of slave for
triaipg misconduct, Or from mere caprice, and