Slavery: Way back then and then
Slavery. When people hear that word nearly everyone’s first reaction to it is in reference to the African Americans that were enslaved in pre civil war America. However, what most people do not realize is that slavery has been around for centuries! Even going as far back as biblical times, there are mentions of slavery and servitude to a “master”. In early civilizations such as that of the Romans, slavery was a part of everyday life! Slaves back in the day were merely the people of captured nations with no ethnic discrimination. I say that in the sense that not only were there black slaves, but there were also white ones, and slaves of nearly every ethnicity! In ancient Greece, slavery was so important that the Great city-state of Sparta was completely dependent upon slave labor. The Spartans were all trained as warriors not only so that they could defend their nation against opposing external forces, but primarily to ensure that their slave labor force could not revolt and overthrow them! In fact at any given time in Sparta, there were more slaves then Spartans! Sounds rather familiar to the deep south back in the civil war does it not? Even though the people of the Deep South didn’t have the warrior demeanor of the Spartans they controlled their slaves through fear and lack of education on the slaves’ part. Slavery is also a revealing aspect into a cultures level of civilization. Only a less civilized culture has need for slaves while a more developed one has no need for them.