familia Caesaris

1. familia Caesaris Imperial Slaves and Freedmen/women

2. Review: slave and freed hierarchy • freed – full citizen status (formally manumitted) • Latini Iuniani – Iunian Latins (informally manumitted • dediticii - could never become Roman citizens

3. Social Hierarchy among slaves • Different status groups among slaves • Slaves with free masters • Slave vicarii – with slave masters • Legal and social status of master • Imperial slaves to penal slaves in mines

4. Familia Caesaris • Most important group of slaves and ex-slaves in early Empire • Long period of time - Augustus – early 3rd century (epigraphic evidence ceases) • Each emperor inherited ownership of slaves and patronal rights over ex-slaves of predecessor

5. Our sources • Well evidenced by inscriptions • some careers of freedmen can be traced over several reigns following that of manumitting emperor • Longest career we have evidence of: the father of Claudius Etruscus, from reign of Tiberius to Domitian

6. A certain C. Iulius Aug. L. Samius was freed by Gaius and held a procuratorial post under Claudius and Nero

7. The evidence - nomenclature • Imperial slaves and freed easy to identify • Ordinary slaves had one single name • Imperial slaves added their status to their slave name: • Caes(aris) ser(vus) or Aug(usti) vern(a) or Aug(usti) or Caes(aris) • i.e. Onesimus Caes(aris) ser(vus)

8. Imperial freedmen • Received tria nomina of a Roman citizen: praenomen, nomen (gentilicum), cognomen • Then added status: Aug(usti) lib(ertus) or Aug(usti) l(ibertus). • Example: Ti. Claudius Aug. l. Onesimus • T. Flavius Aug. lib. Onesimus • M. Ulpius Aug. lib. Onesimus • Imperials freedmen/women very proud of status and continued to display it even after most private freed and citizens gave up to display status on funerary inscriptions – end of first century AD

9. Hierarchy within familia Caesaris • Not a homogeneous group • Spread throughout the Empire • Great variety of opportunities for professional and social advancement • Vast status differences depending on branch of imperial service, professional grade, rate of advancement achieved in service • Division into familia urbana and familia rustica does not apply to familia Caesaris

10. Divisions of Familia Caesaris • A) slaves and freed working in daily maintenance, provisioning, supervision of residence and properties for emperor’s personal upkeep • B) slaves and freed working in supervising the revenue-producing imperial properties or in financial administrative functions of civil service

11. A – domestic group • Included staff of Imperial Palace in Rome, palace of the Augusta, other villas in Rome and other Italian towns, Imperial gardens in Rome and elsewhere

12. Range of duties • Custos – guard, aedituus – keeper, • Lectiarius – litter-bearer, • With more responsibilities or skill: topiarius – ornamental gardener • Tricliniarchus - in charge of dining room • Praegustato Imperial taster • Archimagiur - head chef • and countless more …

13. Influential posts: • Cubicularius - in charge of bedroom • Ad admissione - both positions controlled access to emperor - had close contact with emperor • Unofficial and thus uncontrolled influence outside their domestic sphere

14. Late empire • Ex-slave eunuchs – under absolutist regime • Highest positions in palace service - in charge of Imperial bedchamber - were very powerful • The two chief posts: praepositus sacri cubiculi • Primicerius sacri cubiculi

15. B Slaves and ex-slaves in Imperial Administration • Wide range of departments – all aspects of receipts and payments of funds under emperor’s control • Public services: aqueducts, libraries, post, roads, public works and buildings, • Imperial mines and quarries, the mint

16. Range of positions • Wide range • Sub-clerical:pedisequi (foot attendant), costodius (guard), nomenclator, tabellarii, • Intermediate clerical grades: adiutor, vicarius, dispensator, a commentarius, tabularius • Senior clerical ranks: tabularii a rationibus, proximi • Senior administrative positions: procurator, a rationibus, ab epitulis, a libellis

17. Wide range of status • Variation in same rank in different departments: example: central finance bureaux of a rationibus to department responsible for minor tax • Other factors, location: head office in Rome had higher rank attached than branch office in province

18. Other Imperial Slaves • Working in private commercial and industrial enterprises either on own account: vestifex or vestifica (tailor, dressmaker) • Caelator (engraver), argentarius (silver-smith) • Working in emperor’s building projects including supplies of building materials • Lapidarii (stonemasons) marmorarii (marble cutters) structures (carpenters) architecti ( master-builders) -

19. Recruitment into service • Predominantly from within the familia: children of Imperial slaves and freedmen (verna – houseborn slave • First century AD many also from outside the familia

20. Marriage and Status • High proportion of ‘marriage’ between Imperial slaves and freeborn women • S.C. Claudianum 52 AD (framed by Claudius’ freedman Pallas) • Exception to rule regarding children born outside legal marriage: children of free women and imperial slaves took status of father - thus would be imperial slaves.

21. Manumission of Imperial Slaves • Relatively high chance of manumission for slaves in upper grades of Imperial service • No informal manumission for Imperial slaves • Emperor’s interest to get best work out of slave and then have manumission purchased by slave from peculium • Special department - Fiscus libertatis et peculiorum

22. Manumission of Imperial Slaves • Higher chance of manumission, but less chance before age 30 • Average age of manumission between 30 – 40 • Slaves seemed to have tried to be manumitted as soon as possible • Unskilled later 20% over 40, 15% over 50 • In contrast – large proportion of female slaves owned by Imperial freedmen manumitted before 30 (for marriage purpose)

23. General manumission reviewed: • Lex Aelia Sentia AD 4: age requirements – 30 for slave, 20 for owner • Slaves manumitted under 30 became Iunian Latins • Significant number of exceptions (iusta causa – just cause): blood relationship ) sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, foster relations, paedagogus ; future services (if slave was over 18); intended marriage

24. Ways for Latins to get full citizenship • Augustus: Latins could receive full citizenship on first birthday of first child for themselves and child: anniculi probation • Subsequent emperors added more options: (Ulpian iii) services to state in emergencies: military service (rare), providing shipping for transport of corn, supply of bread, construction of buildings (i.e. after great fire) • Vespasian in AD 75 and Hadrian made changes to lex Aelia Sentia • Justinian abolished class of Latins and dediticii, and no age limit for manumission (Cod. Iust vii.15.2)

25. Imperial Civil Service • Majority of positions filled by imperial freedmen and slaves • Upper-level posts used to be filled by senators and equestrians in Republican period

26. Conclusions – Imperial Slaves and Freedmen/women • Very privileged group among slaves • Often imperial slaves and freed had higher social and economic status than humble free-born Roman citizens • Exceptional status can be seen in practice of marriage between Imperial slaves and free-born women • Law responded to this practice by changing natural law of slavery (slave-children as taking status of mother) to children of such union to take slave status of father.