Trials - P + H - Society

Question 1

Who were slaves and what were their jobs?

Answer 1

• Usually prisoners of war from defeated nations

* Used for most of the jobs around Roman household

Question 2

What was the hierarchy within the slave class?

Answer 2

• Hierarchy within the slave class - shown by different standards of living quarters in numerous houses
o Slaves assigned menial jobs (cleaning, cooking) were considered to be of a lesser status
o Those who were educated (e.g. dispensator (controlled master’s funds) or a cellarius (controlled food supplies)) had higher status. Slaves were also used as tutors

Question 3

What were the rights of slaves?

Answer 3

• While slaves were usually treated well, they had no human rights + could note vote
• Female slaves couldn’t marry, and if they had children their children became slaves - “they followed…the condition of their mother + so belonged to her owner” - Bradley

Question 4

Who were the freedmen?

Answer 4

• Slaves could be manumitted (granted freedom by masters) or could save up enough money to buy their freedom, and they were then permitted to assume their master’s name
• In P, bulk of freedmen were associated with crafts, trade + leisure + would often end up working for their former master

Question 5

What were the rights of the freedmen?

Answer 5

• They couldn’t stand for public office

* House of the Vetti brothers - e.g. of luxury that could be enjoyed by freedmen

Question 6

Who were the freeborn?

Answer 6

• Ranged from the poor to extremely rich but not the aristocracy
• Most engaged in some form of commerce
• Many freeborn houses were lavishly styled (e.g. House of Menander) however poverty still existed

Question 7

What were the rights of Freeborn Women?

Answer 7

• Could be extremely wealthy - either assisted their husbands in business or owned their own
• Women weren’t allowed to vote and there couldn’t hold public office but could still obtain considerable influence + inherit property
• However in many cases were still dependent on men

Question 8

Who were the Upper Class?

Answer 8

• The male upper class consisted of 100 Decurions who came from the most distinguished families. Though politics was usually restricted to the upper classes, a man didn’t have to be wealthy to be involved in Pompeian politics.

Question 9

What were the other classes?

Answer 9

• The Pompeian social structure was considerably flexible
• The beggers were the lowest class + were often treated badly (graffiti: ‘I detest beggars’) However there are several artworks depicting prominent members of society offering them a coin or food - but may have been to improve their image
• Numerous rich families travelled to P + H as resorts + this created an ethnic + hierarchical mix

Question 10

What was the relationship between the classes?

Answer 10

• In H there was considerable intermixing of social classes at the forum.
• In P there was considerably less social mixing. While public cafes, take away shops + thermopolyae were open to all classes, the theatre and amphitheatres had seating arrangements strictly based on social class
• Wealth was not a guarantee of social mobility. Freedmen might become wealthy, but couldn’t have the same political rights as freeborn men. But their sons would be considered freeborn
• “The boundaries between slave, freedman and freeborn were often exceedingly fluid” - Bradley