A Dominant Slave Population
In ancient Greece, enslaved people comprised a significant portion of the population, ranging from half to as much as eighty percent. As previously mentioned, enslaved people were often acquired in exchange for salt as currency. These enslaved people had no autonomy and were the complete property of their masters.
Aristotle even described them as ‘property that breathes.’ This large slave population was largely due to the frequent wars of the time. Research estimates suggest that during 320 BC, one in every four persons in Athens was enslaved.
