Slave Identification

[Titus Manlius Verus]

What evidence do we have for the methodology behind slave identification? Did slaves have to wear signs, and if so, what did they look like? I believe that I've read references to tatooing/branding runaway slaves on their foreheads.

(Pictures are always appreciated)

[ParthianBow]

AFAIK, without looking at my texts, identification of domestic slaves by such methods as branding was not that common - unless the slave had tried to escape, in which case it was known for the letter 'F' (for fugitivus) to be branded on the forehead - or for a collar with the owner's name and address etc. inscribed upon it to be placed around the slave's neck. However, it did occur. I recall reading about how manumitted slaves who had become wealthy employed the services of Greek surgeons to remove their brands (and therefore to some degree the social stigma of being an ex-slave).

Agricultural slaves, having a rougher deal, may have been branded, but I do not recall reading that they were, commonly. We know that such slaves were more likely to live with ankle chains, however.

I'm not familiar with the branding of other slaves, such as those in mines, etc.

[Titus Manlius Verus]

Regarding the tags, I saw on HBO's Rome (The most historically accurate roman show in a long time) where domestic slaves had squared bronze tablets suspended around their necks (sorry, I couldn't find an image). Something like that, though?

[Kegluneq]

I think that was more for the audience's benefit. That series wasn't totally perfect with regards to historical accuracy and certainly wasn't above twisting the facts to make the story work (see especially the representation of Cleopatra).

I'm not aware of strong evidence for collars or branding for non-punitive reasons. (The fact that detailed descriptions of runaway slaves had to be given to slave hunters shows that some slaves would not have been permanently marked with brands or metal collars.) More likely is that slaves were socially controlled; that is, it was common knowledge and recorded fact who was and wasn't a slave, so visible markers wouldn't always have been necessary. The sort of slaves who were free to travel would be trusted family members who might expect to receive manumission at some point, and to have citizen children. Losing a place to live, food to eat and clothes to wear would be quite a strong disincentive to fleeing for higher status slaves.

I think in most cases, if you wanted to know who a slave was, you just had to ask them. Unlike servants in the past few centuries they weren't generally hidden away in large Roman homes, and were addressed by name (I think they may have been given new names as auxiliary soldiers were though).

[Nathan Ross]

According to Seneca, slaves were not given any sort of uniform or identifying feature on purpose:

"Believe me, it is dangerous to show a state in how great a majority evil men are. A proposal was once made in the senate to distinguish slaves from free men by their dress; it then became apparent how great would be the impending danger if our slaves should begin to count our number." (De Clementia, I.24)

In other words, if slaves could identify each other they would realise their own comparative strength and revolt!

There are slave collars, though as Ben says they seem to have been used in cases where the slave had previously tried to escape:

TENE ME NE FUGIARO DE DOMU TERTIIO: "Hold me then (or) I will run away from the home of Tertius."



This is slightly confused, though, as some of these collars seem to be very small, and the text doesn't specify whether the wearer was human or animal! Quite possibly the one below (with the 'tag' attached - this was the inspiration for the 'Rome' TV 'slave tag' I think) was actually a dog collar.

FUGI. TENE ME, CUM REVOCUVERIS ME D(OMINO) M(EO) ZONINO, ACCEPIS SOLIDUM: "I have fled. Hold me, and when you return me to my master Zonninus, you will receive a solidus"



A solidus was a gold coin introduced by Constantine - this does seem quite a large sum for the return of an escaped dog! So perhaps it was for a prized (and very small!) slave after all...

[Epictetus]

If you Google "Roman slave collar" in images, you can find examples of finds. I don't think these were especially common.