History Paper

Ancient Rome is arguably the most globally altering society in human history. Technologically, sexually, religiously and geographically, Ancient Rome is responsible for change. The Great Roman Empire was not made by Caesar, or Constantine, but by slaves.

I believe Roman civilization was dependent upon slavery more than any other civilization. “One third of roman population was enslaved. Slavery was not race based. If you owed debts, your parents could have sold you.”(2/18) Everything was built by slaves. Slaves built the streets, the aqueduct waterways and sewers that the city depends on, and the huge structures that still stand and landmark Rome today. “The government owned many slaves who provided most of the labor for public construction projects and road-buildings.”(2/18) Slaves are the sole reason that the wealthy Romans could live as lavishly as they did.

While slavery was essential to the creation and maintaining or Rome and it’s expanding empire, it was also detrimental to the society.(Heaten) Slaves could be children that were sold by their parents to pay off debts, they could be prisoners of war or people from other places that were just captured to be sold to Romans, or slaves could just be bought and brought in from other countries. Also, Slavery was continued and passed on by birth. The child of a female slave became a slave regardless of who the father was. Slaves and their families were all legal property of their owners and could be sold at any time. (2/18) All slaves had different jobs, roles, and status in Rome.

The slaves who has it the toughest were those who worked in mines. They spent long hours underground in unsafe, treacherous mines and it was highly likely that slaves would die here. Farmers also used ...

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... new religion are appealing to slaves like me for the reason that they provide hope and a light to work towards. Eternal heaven sounds very good after fighting through a tough, struggling life as a slave. At the dinners my owner hosts, there are usually three different beliefs about Christianity that they always debate. There are Arians, Nestorians and Nicene.(2/13) The Arians always go on about how God and Jesus do not exist together eternally. He thinks that because Jesus was created by God, he is less powerful and did not exist at some point in time. This always frustrates the Nicene because they argue for God being one divine being. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit all in one. Nestorian’s disagree with this as well because they believe that Jesus existed as two different people. He existed as a man, and then as the holy son of God and not both in one. (Theopedia)