Opportunity

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter discusses the phenomenon of free persons entering voluntarily into slavery, in order toe pursue commercial opportunities unavailable to the non-enslaved—and who, after garnering economic success through the Roman institution of the peculium, regain their freedom through “self-purchase” with “their own funds” (suis nummis), emerging economically and socially enhanced as “freedmen.” The cycle is complete: from impoverished freedom to slavery—from slavery to a prosperous freedom. The chapter also considers protections against the wrongful sale into slavery of a free person or of a person of impaired capacity, including minors. Consideration is also given to contractual arrangements between slave and master, including those providing for the ultimate self-purchase of liberty by originally free individuals who had voluntarily entered into slavery pursuant to agreements governing the terms of their enslavement. Finally, the chapter evaluates the motivations, terms, and rates of manumission at Rome.