Tides of History Ancient Slaveries
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Jan 29, 2026 A tour of how slavery varied across ancient societies with scenes from city households to brutal labor gangs. Discussions cover how many people were enslaved, where they worked, and why different systems produced milder or harsher lives. The episode contrasts ancient patterns with later American slavery and highlights how work shaped the fate of the enslaved.
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Child Captive In A Slave Market
- Kotus, a nine-year-old from Thrace, is captured and sold in a busy slave market, terrified and uncertain about her fate.
- Patrick Wyman uses her story to open the episode and humanize the brutal reality of ancient slavery.
Slavery Underpinned The Ancient World
- Slavery underpinned almost everything in the ancient Mediterranean, from monuments to elite culture.
- Recent comparative scholarship broadens our view by connecting Mediterranean slavery to global cases.
Definitions Shape Our View Of Slavery
- 'Slave society' is a narrow label that misses variation across time and place.
- Patrick Wyman endorses Lensky's definition emphasizing violent domination and natal alienation.
