was Freeing slaves so common in Roman Empire?

 was Freeing slaves so common in Roman Empire?



Even when a slave was freed, it did not free them from obWhyligations to their former master. Freeing slaves would help you build a network of freedmen clientes, who would often continue to help out with their master’s work or help run a campaign for them if they ran for public office.

Also, as Steve Anthony pointed out nicely, it helped you appear as magnanimous, and it would also give slaves hope that they might one day be free, which greatly reduced the risk of revolts. Masters also sometimes allowed their slaves to earn money, which they could save up and one day buy their freedom.

Roman slavery was also a lot less racially motivated, so the Romans didn’t despise their slaves and see them as subhuman the way masters in the New World colonial age did. Often, masters and slaves had close friendships and personal ties.

The Romans had many incentives to treat their slaves nicely, and even free some. When the wars of conquest basically wrapped up after Trajan’s reign, the influx of new slaves dropped substantially, and the remaining slaves already in the Empire became a more valuable commodity. This resulted in slaves getting granted more rights, most notably by Antoninus Pius.

Essentially, they didn’t hate their slaves that much.

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