Chattel Slaveries in Classical Greece

Abstract

Greek chattel or commercial slavery developed from general growth and sophistication of economic activity in emerging city-state culture. At Athens and elsewhere, non-commercial forms of slavery evanesced. As the supply of Greek slaves lessened for economic and ideological reasons, Greeks began to acquire slaves almost exclusively from non-Greek peoples. Slaves were considered private property but, as Aristotle argued, they were also considered ‘animate tools’, a category marking distinction from other animal property. Athenian slaves could enjoy a measure of behavioural latitude, some protection from arbitrary violence, and in some ways participated in the wider polis. However, exploitation was normal (sometimes with abuse) and constituted the essence of the slave system. Slave labour was prominent in the classical Greek economy, as slaves were numerous. Finally, although manumission was possible and perhaps frequent, complete integration into wider society was limited at Athens.