Slavery and the History of Emotions: The Greek Epigraphic Evidence

Abstract

Abstract: Based on a presentation at the American Philosophical Society's Member Meeting in April 2013, this essay uses epigraphs inscribed onto grave monuments, tablets, and other forms of stonework to explore the emotions of those legally designated as slaves in ancient Greece. Noting the difficulties in recovering the feelings of the enslaved in extant literary sources, the author suggests that these inscriptions can offer a truer lens into the feelings of slavesas well as into the feelings of others toward enslaved individuals. Understanding these emotional landscapes, he argues, can help us better understand ancient Greek society as a whole.