Makedonia slave-holding?

[karen]

Hi all:I thought this question deserved a thread all its own. I very much need to know the answer to this, as do all of us who are writing Alexander books, in my opinion...I take it Hammond did not say where he got the idea that Makedonians didn't hold slaves? Seems rather a large assertion to *not* footnote. Hmph. Certainly A's faux-pas with Dareios's kinswomen and the cloth is not enough evidence, because the womenfolk doing their own spinning/weaving and slave-holding are not mutually exclusive. Demosthenes' quote seems like evidence, but it is just one quote...So let me ask, what evidence is there that Makedonians *did* keep slaves? (Recognizing here that slavery, like sexuality is a continuum also... a culture might have just a few slaves, with most of the joe-work being done by small-holders or employees... or it might exist on the backs of millions of slaves, as Rome did at least some of the time. Slavery might be limited to punishment, in the mines, for instance -- or else thoroughly interwoven into a society, with every family of any means owning at least one slave, who lives with the family, and so forth.)I don't count Alexander's selling defeated citizens into slavery as strong evidence -- because he is known to have taken on many non-Makedonian customs, and as I recall his father sold captives into slavery also -- was it not the standard practice of conquerors?Have to admit, the idea that Makedonians did *not* hold slaves has always seemed something of an anomaly to me, but one with great attraction I admit ... so I hope those with knowledge on this will share it and help settle the question in my mind.Love & peace,
Karen

[marcus]

Hi Karen,Good question. I suppose I had always naturally assumed that the Macedonians *did* keep slaves, that it never occurred to me to question what evidence there is for or against it.For a start, I would say that it would be extremely surprising if they *didn't*, purely on the basis that, as far as I know, *all* ancient mediterranean and Near Eastern cultures had slavery as an integral part of their culture.Demonsthenes comment that you can't get good slaves from Macedonia doesn't, in my view, mean that you couldn't get slaves from Macedonia... just that you couldn't get *good* slaves; so for me this is evidence that they had slaves in Mac, not that they didn't. And you're right about Alexander's faux pas - spinning and weaving was what free women did in Greece and Macedonia, so his assumption was that free women in Persia did, too.Anyway, we know for a fact that there were slaves in Macedonia, because they worked in the silver mines - ref. the Greeks captured at the Granicus. Even if these were the only slaves they had (which I don't think is the case), it still means the Macedonians kept slaves.My usual problem rears itself again, which is that I'm at work and don't have access to my books... but I would put money on the fact that there are references to slaves in the sources.All the bestMarcus

[susan]

One of the sources, I think Plutarch, refers to a letter that Alexander wrote about a runaway slave of one the generals, I think it was Krateros. I've some doubts about the authenticity of the letters, but I think it's very unlikely that the Macedonians didn't have slaves.Susan

[beausefaless]

My research; In the period of the 8th century BC, they still had primitive way of preparing the land. But the Macedonian aristocrats, have started to use slaves.


POLYBIUS
Greek Statesman and Historian. [c 200-118 B.C.]The Rise of the Roman Empire
(a) Ancient Greeks did not regard the ancient Macedonians as their kinsmen.
(b) Ancient Macedonians did not regard the Greeks as their own people.
(c) Ancient Macedonians had conquered the Greek states.
(d) Ancient Macedonians had enslaved the Greeks and sold them as slaves.


There are more but you have the right idea.

[aen]

We can be almost certain that the Macedonians owned substantial numbers of slaves. First of all, every militaristic people of the Ancient world kept slaves. No active field army could function without them. Remember that we hear that one of PhilipGÇÖs innovations on the assumption of power was to limit the number of attached menials to one for every decad of men in the army.Every successful campaign waged by the Macedonians in the years preceding the arrival of Alexander would have seen the capture of prisoners. There were only two fates for these individuals: execution or slavery. And in the case of the latter, we can assume that many would have been sold in Pella to Macedonians, not shipped en-masse to the markets of the south in Corinth and Athens.Furthermore, with levies being drawn out of Macedonia on a regular basis to Persia during AlexanderGÇÖs campaigns, many of the day to day tasks required for the running of the home state would have been impossible to continue without indentured labour. Someone mentioned the silver mines in a previous post - mine labour was considered unthinkable for a freeman.Also, AristotleGÇÖs Politics make clear the integral role slaves played in Hellenic societies. He makes no mention of the Macedonians being exceptional in this area.Although our sources indicate that not everyone was comfortable with the institution of slavery, it is clear that the practice was ubiquitous. The degree to which an area or people would utilise slaves was usually determined by their relative wealth as a society. Phocis and Locris were said to have initiated the habit later than most only because they were poorer than most. Macedonia at the time of our friends was not poor.I sense that some want to believe slavery might have played a minor role in Macedonian society because it would coincide neatly with their personal opinions of what the Macedonians might have been like. ItGÇÖs worth remembering that in their world GÇÿslaveryGÇÖ was not a dirty word; it was not an unethical practice. Furhtermore, unlike the later Romans, there was considerable scope for personal freedom as a slave at the time. In Athens it has been noted that frequently slaves were better off, both in terms of lifestyle and wealth, than many of the poorer freemen.Rare that I would say this, but Hammond is almost definitely wrong. I think heGÇÖs guilty of allowing a personal preference interfere with his perception of the circumstantial evidence.By the way. M

[aen]

By the way. Marcus, that remark attributed to Demosthenes is interesting. The highest price paid one year for a slave in Athens was for a Macedonian woman. Methinks the old scrooge was being a bit unkind.Laters. A.

[aen]

I should have remembered.All sea powers needed slaves - significant numbers of them. Triremes etc were propelled by rowers. There are instances of freemen taking their places on the benches, but that was very much an exception.Rest assured that Alexander's fleet would have housed several thousand slaves beneath the various decks.Laters.

[yiannis]

I must say that I haven't read anywhere on the composition of the crew of macedonian ships. However, the greek ones were using free citizens, the ones from the lower classes, to serve as rowmen. That's one of the reasons that Salamis was considered to be a "Democratic" victory, because in comparison with Marathon, all classes took part. That practice continued in later ages as well.

[marcus]

Aengus,I'm not sure that's entirely correct about the rowers on a ship. My understanding is that the Athenian navy was entirely composed of free men at the oars. As usual I have no references to hand, but I'm sure I'm right.It might well be that this changed during or after the Peloponnesian War, because of the losses of manpower, and it might be that by Alexander's time there were many more slaves rowing the ships (and, of course, by the time the Romans ruled the Mediterranean the idea of free men at the oars was, as you say, the exception rather than the rule.All the bestMarcus

[marcus]

Hi Aengus,I didn't know that, but it is indeed interesting.Of course, we should take much of what Demosthenes says with a pinch of salt.It's just occurred to me, that if Demosthenes was talking about getting a decent Macedonian slave, all it actually tells us is that the Greeks had some Macedonians as slaves, and in fact it doesn't mean that the Macedonians themselves kept slaves.Ultimately it doesn't make any difference, because there's enough other proof... but it rather scuppered my earlier argument! :-)All the bestMarcus

[agesilaos]

I think I sense the influence of Ben Hur! It was only during the Renaissance that slaves/criminals were extensively used at the oars; aboard smaller Roman ships the rowers were meant to fight. The main reason being the complexity of rowing a vessel in three tiers one or two to an oar. Later designs did merely mass more men to an oar as was the case with Renaissance galleys but I remain dubious that any real warship could afford to harbour so many enemies in action.

[karen]

Andrew, is everything you mention here cited from Polybius? Or are there some other sources? If so can you name them?Trying to nail this down...Love & peace,
Karen

[karen]

Thanks everyone for your answers and discussion so far. I am trying to figure out (insofar as it is possible) from the histories, not the pure question of whether Makedonians held slaves *at all* -- because, yes, the mines prove that -- but the extent. Any further help would be appreciated. I realize this might well be impossible.L&P
Karen

[ruthaki]

I believe that Amphipolis was a big slave-trade port. Bringing them in mainly for the silver mines I think, but likely for other uses.

[aen]

Karen,I think your best bet is to try to figure out how wealthy the Macedonians as a whole were at the time you are interested in. Money and success in war would have been the most important factors in determining the level of slave-holding. I am certain by the time of Alexander they would have at least equalled the number of Macedonians, certainly in the environs of Pella.For instance, Attica even at the time of the census of Demetrius (BC 309 - when the Athenian slide had started) was said to have 400,000 slaves as opposed to 21,000 citizens and 10,000 metics (Ctesicles) - it's pointed out that by 'citizens' they probably meant males past the age of majority, whereas for slaves both sexes and all ages would have been included as slaves were seen as property. Nonetheless, it appears an almost unbelievable statistic. But even when pared down by cynics it remains substantial. Messrs Bockh and Clinton put the proportion at four and three slaves respectively to each citizen. And it wasn't just in Attica. Aristotle (Athen.l.c) mentions 470,000 for Aegina, and Timaeus 460,000 for Corinth.As an institution it was fundamental, widespread, and its unfortunate participants were very numerous. Post Philip's campaigns I don't see how the Macedonians could have avoided acquiring large numbers, particularly from the north. Of course, this doesnGÇÖt give you anything concrete to latch onto, but maybe itGÇÖll help.Vis-a-vis slave-rowers: the hand goes up in shame! Bad call! Got it stuck in my head somewhere along the way. Will approach the triremes with considerably more caution the next time.Laters.