Roman Family

In chapter sixteen of Cambridge World History of Slavery which outlines slavery and the roman family; Jonathan Edmondson defines the Latin concept of family and the importance of slaves in the roman household through a case study of the estate of the Statili Tauri or Statilius Taurus who was one of Augustus’ most trusted generals in order to contextualize slavery in Rome. The chapter discusses slavery primarily through the lives of the Roman elites and other distinguished senatorial families such as the family of Statilius Taurus. A wide range of topics are discussed in the chapter concerning festivities and rituals, purpose of slaves within the roman household, their contribution to the roman economy as well as their standing in society and …show more content…
In this context though, the term was used to describe any persons who resided within the roman household, including the slaves. Alternatively, the term familia could be used in describing only the slaves of the household as seen in novels such as the Satyricon exemplified by the tota familia. Through analysing the slaves of the Statili family their roles are defined by various positions such as secretaries, personal attendants, body guards and to name a few. The commonality between all roles was to maintain the upkeep of the household; as stated in the chapter an instance of the importance of slaves can also be exemplified by the festival of Compitalia which was a ritual commemorating Lares Augusti that allowed Romans to decorate their homes with puppets for all freeborn members and balls for slaves of the household. Although, slaves were not viewed as human nor citizens they were still able to and considered important enough participate in festivities with their distinct families; this included the consumption of wine which was viewed as an important aspect of the festival. In addition, slaves would also be buried with their families upon passing …show more content…
For example, they would not be assigned to agricultural work if placed in this family. The distinction was significant in terms of the will which the slaves would be included in upon the death of the owner. Both of these classes determined how the slave’s life would turn out, life in the familia urbana determined that the slave would have more advantages over those in the familia rustica. The slaves belonging to the urban family would benefit from have more time to spend building relationships with their owners; they often became confidants or personal assistants of their masters since they were extremely close with them. Along with this trust came responsibility as slaves were often given the task of handling delicate matters such as the finances of the estate as well as the handling of tasks regarding family property. The proximity of the slaves to their owners also illustrates the dedication and loyalty to their masters as they often sacrificed their own lives for their