Slave Market

Slaves were an everyday, accepted part of Hellenic society and were found everywhere. They did everything from backbreaking labour in fields and mines to managing treasury accounts. In the 5th century BC it is believed there was one slave for every free man in 'democratic' Athens. Even free people on a modest living had at least one slave for menial tasks. Slaves were the lifeblood of the Hellenic economy and the slave trade was seen as perfectly necessary and justified. Most slaves were taken in wartime, while others were born into slavery, especially in Egypt. However, neither appearance or skin colour was the mark of a slave. Anyone could be a slave, even a fellow Greek from a different city. Many slaves were simply bought from traders who had acquired them in other distant countries. Prices varied enormously, with young, healthy, and attractive slaves fetching up to twenty times more than older, weaker ones.