Episode 88: Enslavement in the Roman World with Javal Coleman

Javal Coleman discusses his chapter, “Enslavement in the Roman World,” from the book Ancient Slavery and Its New Testament Contexts. He highlights the story of Acte, an enslaved woman, to illustrate the nuances of manumission and the societal perceptions of enslaved people. The discussion also delves into the concept of citizenship in antiquity, the dehumanizing aspects of slavery, and the ongoing relevance of these themes in contemporary scholarship. Resources mentioned and recommended in this episode include author Saidiya Hartman, Finding Phoebe, Greek Slave Systems in the Eastern Mediterranean Context, Slavery in the Roman World, Freed Slaves and Roman Imperial Culture, Slavery and Social Death, Greek and Roman Slaves, Soul by Soul: Life Inside the Antebellum Slave Market, River of Dark Dreams: Slavery and Empire in the Cotton Kingdom, The Lord of the Rings, Fourth Wing, Sinners, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Hogwarts Legacy.