The Norms of Ancient Slavery: A Roman’s Guide to Managing a Slave Workforce | Jerry Toner

Work For Humans

In the shadows of ancient Rome, a constant battle brewed between power and humanity. While slave management may sound like a thing of the past, more than 27 million people still toil under oppressive conditions today, and millions more are tied to jobs due to debts or other obligations. Although there is no comparison between slavery and a contemporary office, there is plenty to learn from history to help us forge a more just and equitable future. This episode examines the stark contrast between ancient slavery and the modern workplace, navigating the complexities of leadership, empathy, and progress.
Dr. Jerry Toner is the Director of Studies in Classics at the Churchill College at Cambridge and author of The Roman Guide to Slave Management. His literary works around Roman cultural history have been translated into 15 languages and garnered a global readership.
In this episode, Dart and Jerry discuss:
- How slaves were framed in ancient Rome
- Capitalist slavery in the U.S. versus domestic slavery in Rome
- The language around slavery
- The economic factors leading to large slave populations
- Good management practices
- Matching a person to the right type of work
- The perceived character of slaves
- The line between respect and admiration when it comes to cruel management
- And other topics…
Dr. Jerry Toner is the Director of Studies in Classics, a Fellow, and an Affiliated Lecturer at the Churchill College at Cambridge. His scholarly investigations and writing look at Roman cultural history with a focus on history “from below.” Jerry’s books have been translated into 15 languages; one of his best-sellers, The Roman Guide to Slave Management, has been called “an ingenious device" by The New Yorker.
After completing his Ph.D. in Classics at Cambridge, Jerry spent 10 years as a fund manager in London, where he managed $15 billion in global bond, currency, and asset allocation funds before returning to the ancient world.
Resources mentioned:
The Roman Guide to Slave Management, by Jerry Toner: https://www.amazon.com/Roman-Guide-Slave-Management-Treatise-ebook/dp/B07MWBGSL9
Seeing Like a State, by James Scott: https://www.amazon.com/Seeing-like-State-Certain-Condition/dp/0300078153
“The Messy Link Between Slave Owners and Modern Management,” by Caitlin C. Rosenthal: https://hbr.org/2013/09/plantations-practiced-modern-management
Psychology and Industrial Efficiency, by Hugo Münsterberg: https://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Industrial-Efficiency-Hugo-M%C3%BCnsterberg/dp/160450899X