Slavery may no longer exist as a legal institution, but we still
find many forms of non-freedom in contemporary societies. It is a
troubling paradox, and one this book addresses by considering a
period in which the definition of slavery and freedom proved
considerably flexible. Between more familiar forms of slavery those
of antiquity and of the Americas the institution as it was
practiced and theorized in the Byzantine Mediterranean was of a
different nature.
Looking at the Byzantine concept of slavery within the context
of law, the labor market, medieval politics, and religion, Youval
Rotman illustrates how these contexts both reshaped and sustained
the slave market. By focusing on a period of great change, his
historical analysis brings a new perspective to concepts of slavery
and freedom. In this period, when Byzantium had to come to terms
with the rising power of the Islamic state, and to fight numerous
wars over territory and economic interests, Rotman traces a shift
in the cultural perception of slaves as individuals: they began to
be seen as human beings instead of private property. His book
analyzes slavery as a historical process against the background of
the political, social, and religious transformation of the
Mediterranean world, and demonstrates the flexible and adaptable
character of this institution.
Arguing against the use of the term slavery for any extreme
form of social dependency, Rotman shows instead that slavery and
freedom are unrelated concepts. His work offers a radical new
understanding of the geopolitical and religious dynamics that have
defined and redefined slavery and freedom, in the past and in our
own time.
General
Imprint: |
Harvard University Press
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
October 2009 |
First published: |
2009 |
Authors: |
Youval Rotman
|
Translators: |
Jane Marie Todd
|
Dimensions: |
235 x 156 x 31mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Hardcover - Cloth over boards / With printed dust jacket
|
Pages: |
328 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-674-03611-6 |
Languages: |
English
|
Subtitles: |
French
|
Categories: |
Books >
Humanities >
History >
General
Books >
History >
General
|
LSN: |
0-674-03611-5 |
Barcode: |
9780674036116 |
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!