An ergastulum (plural: ergastula) was a Roman workhouse building used as a type of factory with slaves held in chains or to punish slaves.[1] The ergastulum was usually built as a deep, roofed pit below ground level, large enough to allow the slaves to work within it, and containing narrow spaces in which they slept. Ergastula were common structures on all slave-using farms (latifundia).[2] The etymology is disputed between two possible Greek roots: ergasterios "workshop" and ergastylos "pillar to which slaves are tethered."
Augustus instituted inspections of ergastula because travelers were being illegally seized and held in them.[3] The ergastulum was made illegal during the reign of Hadrian as part of a series of reforms to improve conditions for slaves.[4]
Columella in his De re rustica[5] states that an underground ergastulum should be as healthful as possible and lit by windows with narrow bars, which are far enough from the ground that it is not possible to reach them by hand.[6] In the Loeb Classical Library 1941 edition[7][8] H. B. Ash translates a later section in Book 1, Chapter 8 of De re rustica as: "Again, it is the established custom of all men of caution to inspect the inmates of the workhouse [ergastuli[9]], to find out whether they are carefully chained, whether the places of confinement are quite safe and properly guarded, whether the overseer has put anyone in fetters or removed his shackles without the master's knowledge."[10] Ash translates the term ergastulis as "chain-gangs"[11] upon its first appearance in De re rustica in Book 1, Chapter 3.[12]
ergastulum, ergastulum, plural, ergastula, roman, workhouse, building, used, type, factory, with, slaves, held, chains, punish, slaves, ergastulum, usually, built, deep, roofed, below, ground, level, large, enough, allow, slaves, work, within, containing, narr. An ergastulum plural ergastula was a Roman workhouse building used as a type of factory with slaves held in chains or to punish slaves 1 The ergastulum was usually built as a deep roofed pit below ground level large enough to allow the slaves to work within it and containing narrow spaces in which they slept Ergastula were common structures on all slave using farms latifundia 2 The etymology is disputed between two possible Greek roots ergasterios workshop and ergastylos pillar to which slaves are tethered Augustus instituted inspections of ergastula because travelers were being illegally seized and held in them 3 The ergastulum was made illegal during the reign of Hadrian as part of a series of reforms to improve conditions for slaves 4 Columella in his De re rustica 5 states that an underground ergastulum should be as healthful as possible and lit by windows with narrow bars which are far enough from the ground that it is not possible to reach them by hand 6 In the Loeb Classical Library 1941 edition 7 8 H B Ash translates a later section in Book 1 Chapter 8 of De re rustica as Again it is the established custom of all men of caution to inspect the inmates of the workhouse ergastuli 9 to find out whether they are carefully chained whether the places of confinement are quite safe and properly guarded whether the overseer has put anyone in fetters or removed his shackles without the master s knowledge 10 Ash translates the term ergastulis as chain gangs 11 upon its first appearance in De re rustica in Book 1 Chapter 3 12 Examples editVilla dei VolusiiReferences edit Christopher Francese 2007 Ancient Rome in So Many Words Hippocrene Books pp 170 ISBN 978 0 7818 1153 8 Annalisa Marzano 2007 Roman Villas in Central Italy A Social and Economic History BRILL pp 149 ISBN 978 90 04 16037 8 C Suetonius Tranquillus Divus Augustus chapter 32 www perseus tufts edu Retrieved 2023 08 16 William Smith 1875 Ergastulum A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities London John Murray Columella Lucius Junius Moderatus Res Rustica Books I IV book 1 chapter pr www perseus tufts edu Retrieved 2018 02 05 Columella Lucius Junius Moderatus Res Rustica Books I IV book 1 chapter 6 section 3 www perseus tufts edu Retrieved 2018 02 05 Columella 1941 On Agriculture Volume 1 Books 1 4 Translated by Harrison Boyd Ash Cambridge MA Harvard University Press LacusCurtius Columella De Re Rustica Book I penelope uchicago edu Retrieved 2018 02 05 Columella Lucius Junius Moderatus Res Rustica Books I IV book 1 chapter 8 www perseus tufts edu Retrieved 2018 02 05 LacusCurtius Columella De Re Rustica Book I penelope uchicago edu Retrieved 2018 02 05 LacusCurtius Columella De Re Rustica Book I penelope uchicago edu Retrieved 2018 02 05 Columella Lucius Junius Moderatus Res Rustica Books I IV book 1 chapter 3 www perseus tufts edu Retrieved 2018 02 05 nbsp This Ancient Rome related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This architecture related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ergastulum amp oldid 1171321387, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
