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Doulos (δοῦλος)., Slave
In Greece, besides a class of serfs like the Penestae of Thessaly and the Helots of Sparta, who had come to this condition through being conquered in war, we find, even in Homeric times, actual slaves not differing greatly from freemen. They seem to have been possessed in large numbers only by princes and chieftains, who either obtained them as booty on expeditions (δοριάλωτοι), or bought them from such predatory adventurers as the Phoenicians (Odyss. xv. 483). In historic times the institution of slavery was very much developed, so that there is scarcely a State in which even the poorer citizens did not own a male or female slave to do the rough work considered unworthy of a free man ( Plut. init.). In Attica, when the State was in its most flourishing condition, there were some 400,000 slaves, or about four times the number of the free citizens (Ctesicles ap. Athen. vi. p. 272 c). The Greeks justified slavery, much as did our antebellum teachers, by alleging that there were certain barbarians who had been intended by nature to be slaves. As a matter of fact, the slaves in Greece were for the most part barbarians by race. In exceptional cases, Greeks also were captured in war, and were thus reduced to permanent slavery; but, as a rule, they were exchanged or freed on the payment of a ransom. The countries of Asia Minor, Thrace, and the northern regions comprehended under the name of Scythia sent the greatest numbers to the slave-markets, of which the most important were at Delos, Chios, and Byzantium. Athens also had a slave-market, especially used by citizens who wished to expose undesirable slaves for sale. Most of the slaves in Attica were such as had been born from female slaves. The wealthy sometimes possessed several hundreds of them, of whom, naturally, only a part would be kept in the house. Some of the remainder worked on farms in the country, while others served on the merchantmen as rowers or sailors, others in the mines at Laurium, while others again, either singly or in numbers in a manufactory and under a superintendent, were engaged in some trade on their master's account. The owners also sometimes let out slaves to others, as in our Southern States before the war. Domestic slaves were employed in every conceivable kind of occupation in the house, and were also intrusted with the education of the boys, whom they had to accompany everywhere, especially to the school and to the palaestra; such slaves were called παιδαγωγοί. Indeed, as a rule, even the commonest Greek, if he could possibly manage it, never went out unescorted by a slave; while, if he was rich, a number of slaves followed him. At the same time, no Greek seems to have had the vast collection of slaves that many Romans had under the Empire. Fifty was regarded as a large number, though Nicias owned as many as 1000 or more ( De Vect. 4). The chief difference, however, between the Greek and Roman view of slavery is that the Greeks regarded the slave as a labourer and an industrial necessity, while the Romans used him chiefly as a minister to their personal pleasures. See the remarks at the end of the present article, and cf. Athen. vi. p. 272 e.
Their treatment differed according to the character and the pecuniary position of the owner, and also depended upon their own good qualities and usefulness. In general, the Athenians were noted for showing more kindness to their slaves than did the rest of the Greeks. There were laws also that referred to them, and protected them against excessive caprice and harshness. But they had no legal rights; they could neither bring a charge nor appear as witnesses. It was only when they were put to the torture (βασανίζειν) that their evidence had any weight attached to it. But the master could not kill a slave unless the latter had been condemned in a law-court; otherwise he had to pay a penalty to some divinity. If cruelly treated, a slave could seek protection, usually in the temple of Theseus, and claim to be sold to another master. In case of maltreatment by a stranger, the master could bring a legal action, and obtain heavy damages. Slaves had no particular dress prescribed for them by law; but they were not allowed to let their hair grow long. They were not prohibited from entering temples and sanctuaries or from taking part in the public religious festivals; but they were excluded from the use of the gymnasia and from the assemblies of the people. Manumissions were not rare, especially such as were made by a clause in the owner's will, or if slaves bought their freedom with the savings made by permission of the master. Sometimes manumission was a reward for giving information about grave crimes, or for distinguished service in war; for slaves were not unfrequently employed in military service, especially in the fleet as rowers and sailors, or as marines. (For the position of the liberated slaves, see Libertus.) At Athens there was also a special class of public slaves (δημόσιοι). Chief among them were those called Scythae or archers, at first 300, then 600, and finally as many as 1200; the name Speusinii was also given them from a certain Speusinus, who is said to have established this institution (Pollux, viii. 132, and the Etymologicum Magnum). They served as police, and their duties were at first confined to the market-place, but afterwards were extended to the Areopagus. They were further employed for military purposes, like the similar corps, also consisting of public slaves, of 200 mounted archers (ἱπποτοξόται). The lower servants of the State officials, such as criers, scribes, jail-keepers, and hangmen, were mostly (the last-mentioned always) public slaves, and so were the workmen at the mint. Their position was one of much greater freedom than that of the private slaves, and did not differ greatly from that of the μέτοικοι. See Demosii.
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