Slavery and Dependence in Ancient Egypt
Sources in Translation

Translated ancient sources from over 3000 years of Egyptian history reveal the complex story of slavery in the Nile valley.

Jane L. Rowlandson (Edited by), Roger S. Bagnall (Edited by), Dorothy J. Thompson (Edited by), Jelle Bruning (Contributions by), W. Graham Claytor (Contributions by), Jennifer Cromwell (Contributions by), Christopher J. Eyre (Contributions by), Brian P. Muhs (Contributions by), Sarah J. Pearce (Contributions by), Christopher J. Tuplin (Contributions by)

9781107032972, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 21 March 2024

535 pages
25.1 x 17.4 x 3 cm, 1.15 kg

'An impressive achievement that will undoubtedly pave the way for future studies of Egyptian enslavement as well as comparative studies of ancient slavery more broadly.' Ella Karev, Journal of Near Eastern Studies

Ancient Egypt offers rich sources of documentary evidence for the study of the experiences of dependent people, particularly enslaved persons, and how they changed over almost four millennia from the Old Kingdom to the early Islamic period. This volume, the work of a team of scholars spanning the full range of disciplines and languages involved, provides nearly three hundred primary sources in translation, arranged both chronologically and thematically, and is aimed principally at students, instructors and general readers. The documents reveal how people became slaves and ceased to be slaves and how they were traded and exchanged in different periods. They also detail the various kinds of work slaves undertook, whether in the household, in agriculture or in mines and quarries. Introductions explain and contextualise the sources, and particularly address the problems of varying terminology in several different languages. The book shows Egypt's place in the world history of slavery.

1. Introduction Jane Rowlandson and Roger S. Bagnall
2. Pharaonic Egypt Christopher J. Eyre
3. The late period Brian P. Muhs and Christopher J. Tuplin
4. Jewish perspectives on slavery in Egypt Sarah J. Pearce
5. Ptolemaic Egypt Dorothy J. Thompson and Brian P. Muhs
6. Roman Egypt W. Graham Claytor
7. Byzantine and Umayyad Egypt Jane Rowlandson, Roger S. Bagnall, Jennifer Cromwell and Jelle Bruning.

Subject Areas: Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA]