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SLAVERY AND THE SLAVE TRADE.

ANCIENT AND MODERN.

THE FORMS OF SLAVERY THAT PREVAILED IN ANCIENT NATIONS,
PARTICULARLY IN GREECE AND ROME.

THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE

AND THE

POLITICAL HISTORY OF SLAVERY

IN THE

UNITED STATES.

COMPILED FROM AUTHENTIC MATERIALS
BY W. O. BLAKE.

COLUMBUS, OHIO:

PUBLISHED AND SOLD EXCLUSIVELY BY SUBSCRIPTION
BY J. & H. MILLER.

1858.

Reprinted by Mnemosyne Publishing Co., Inc. Miami, Florida

Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1857,
BY J. & H. MILLER,

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District
of Ohio.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PRELIMINARY SKETCH. ANCIENT SLAVERY.

(JUDAISM)

Early existence of Slavery in the world.-The Mosaic institutions in regard to Slav-

ery.-Hebrews, how reduced to servitude.—The Jubilee.— Distinction between

native and foreign Slaves.-Voluntary Slaves: the Mercenarii of the Romans;

the Prodigals or debtor Slaves; the Delinquents; the Enthusiasts.—Involuntary

Slaves; prisoners of war, and captives stolen in peace, with the children and de-

scendants of both.-Voluntary Slavery introduced by decree of the Roman Sen-

ate. Slavery in Rome: condition of the Slaves; cruelty to the old and sick;

prisons for Slaves; Sicily: servile war and breaking up of the prisons.-Piracy

esteemed honorable by the early Greeks. Piratical expeditions to procure

Slaves.-Causes of the gradual extinction of Slavery in Europe.-Origin of the

African Slave Trade by the Portuguese.-Followed by most of the maritime na-

tions of Europe.

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CHAPTER II.

SLAVERY IN GREECE.-ATHENIAN SLAVES.

-

Early existence of Slavery in Greece.-Proportion of Slaves to Freemen.-Their

numbers in Athens and Sparta.-Mild government of Slaves in Athens-the re-

verse in Sparta.-Instances of noble conduct of Slaves towards their masters.-

Probable origin of Slavery, prisoners of war.-Examples in history of whole cities

and states being reduced to Slavery: Judea, Miletos, Thebes.-Slaves obtained by

kidnapping and piracy.-The traffic supposed to be attended by a curse.-Certain

nations sell their own people into Slavery.-Power of masters over their Slaves;

the power of Life and Death.-The Chians, the first Greeks who engaged in a

regular Slave-trade. Their fate in being themselves finally reduced to Slavery.—

First type of the Maroon wars.-The Chian Slaves revolt.-The hero slave Dri-

macos. His history.-Honors paid to his memory.—Servile war among the Sa-

mians.—Athenian laws to protect Slaves from cruelty.-Slaves entitled to bring an

action for assault.-Death penalty for crimes against Slaves.-Slaves entitled to

purchase freedom.-Privileges of Slaves in Athens.-Revolt of Slaves working in

Mines. The temples a privileged sanctuary for Slaves who were cruelly treated.

Tyrannical masters compelled to sell their Slaves.-Slave auctions.-Diogenes.-

Price of Slaves.-Public Slaves, their employment.-Educated by the State, and

Intrusted with important duties.-Domestic Slaves; their food and treatment.—

The Slaves partake in the general decline of morals.-History and Description of

Athens....
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CHAPTER III.

SLAVES OF SPARTA, CRETE, THESSALY, &C.-THE HELOTS.

The Helots-leading events of their History summed up.-Their Masters de-

scribed. The Spartans, their manners, customs and constitutions.-Distinguish-

ing traits severity, resolution and perseverance, treachery and craftiness.-Mar-

riage. Treatment of Infants.- Physical Education of Youth.-Their endurance

of hardships.-The Helots: their origin; supposed to belong to the State; power

of life and death over them; how subsisted; property acquired by them; their

military service.-Plato, Aristotle, Isocrates, Plutarch and other writers convict

the Spartans of barbarity towards them; the testimony of Myron on this point;

instances of tyranny and cruelty.—Institution of the Crypteia; annual massacre

of the Helots.-Terrible instance of treachery.-Bloody servile wars. -Sparta en-

gaged in contests with her own vassals.-Relies upon foreign aid.—Earthquake,

and vengeance of the Helots.-Constant source of terror to their masters.-Other

classes of Slaves.-Their privileges and advancement.-Slavery in Crete: classes

and condition.-Mild treatment.-Strange privileges during certain Festivals.-

Slaves of Syracuse rebel and triumph.-The Arcadians...

CHAPTER IV.

SLAVERY IN ROME.

Slavery under the kings and in the early ages of the Republic.-Its spread, and

effect on the poorer class of Freemen.-The Licinian law.-Prevalence of the two

extremes, immense wealth and abject poverty.-Immense number of Slaves in

Sicily. They revolt.- Eunus, their leader. Their arms.- Horrible atrocities

committed by them.-The insurrection crushed.-Fate of Eunus.- Increase of

Slaves in Rome.-Their employment in the arts.- Numbers trained for the Am-

phitheatre.-The Gladiators rebel.-Spartacus, his history.-Laws passed to re-

strain the cruelty of masters.-Effects of Christianity on their condition. Their

numbers increased by the invasion of northern hordes.-Sale of prisoners of war

into slavery.-Slave-dealers follow the armies.-Foreign Slave-trade.-Slave auc-

tions.—The Slave markets.—Value of Slaves at different periods.—Slaves owned

by the State, and their condition and occupations.-Private Slaves, their grades

and occupations.-Treatment of Slaves, public and private.-Punishment of of

fenses.-Fugitives and Criminals.-Festival of Saturnus, their privileges.-Their

dress.-Their sepulchres.-The Gladiators, their combats

CHAPTER V.

SLAVERY IN ROME.-CONTINUED.

Abstract of the laws in regard to Slavery.- Power of Life and Death.-Cruelty of

Masters.-Laws to protect the Slave.-Constitution of Antoninus: of Claudius.—

Husband and Wife could not be separated; nor parents and children.-Slave

could not contract marriage, nor own property. His peculium, or private prop-

erty, held only by usage.-Regulations in respect to it.-Master liable for damages

for wrongful acts of his Slave.-The murderer of a Slave, liable for a capital

offense, or for damages.-Fugitive Slaves, not lawfully harbored: to conceal them,

theft.-Master entitled to pursue them.-Duties of the authorities.-Slave hunters.

-Laws defining the condition of children born of Slaves.-Laws to reduce free

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