Re-constructing the slave: an examination of slave representation in the Greek polis

Abstract

This thesis examines the ways in which slaves are represented in classical Greek sources. The aim of this study is to examine the ideology which informed Greek depictions of slaves. Through such an analysis, we can learn a great deal not only about important issues such as Greek perceptions of barbarians and manual labour, but also wider issues, such as the nature of our sources and the ways in which Greeks defined themselves through their use of the antithetical image of the slave - the quintessential "Other" to the Greek ideal. Since slaves are depicted in a range of material, this thesis draws upon representations of slaves from sources as varied as art, drama, oratory, and philosophy. In short, this study examines representations of slaves in their own right. It highlights the cross-generic pervasiveness of slave representation and examines how representation functioned to naturalise and perpetuate the institution of slavery in ancient Greece.