Dear Classical Wisdom Member,
Why would wealthy Romans spend fortunes acquiring educated people... sometimes valuing them like priceless works of art… or purchasing them only to free them?
What does it mean when some of the most influential minds in Roman history were technically property?
And who, at the end of the day, was really creating the great works of Roman literature, philosophy, and politics?
In this month’s Podcasts with Professors we spoke with the renowned Princeton Classics Professor, Harriet Flower, to discuss her latest book, Intellectual Property: Learned Slaves and Educated Freemen in Republican Rome. We explored a side of antiquity that most people never imagine: enslaved intellectuals, scholars, editors, teachers, speechwriters, and literary advisors who shaped Roman culture from behind the scenes.
We moved beyond the stereotype of ancient slavery to look at a deeply complex social system where status, intellect, ambition, and power collided in unexpected ways...
Indeed, Harriet Flower gives us some astonishing stories of intellectuals captured during war and carried back to Rome as coveted prizes, educated slaves who advised senators and edited famous works, and freedmen who rose to become wealthy cultural powerbrokers in their own right.
And while Roman slavery may seem like ancient history, the topic actually opens up questions that are certainly worth asking...such as:
Who produces culture and knowledge?
How much of intellectual life depends on work by those who never receive credit, by people unseen and unrecorded?
And, just as importantly, are there modern forms of “invisible intellectual labor” that parallel the hidden contributions of educated slaves and freedmen in Rome?
Classical Wisdom Members: you can access the full recording and complete transcript above. You can also download the audio only version below.
If you are not yet a member, you can subscribe to gain full access to this podcast and our growing library of exclusive content.
All the best,
Anya Leonard
Founder and Director
Classical Wisdom
P.S. Members, don’t forget today’s exciting event, Why Myth Matters, taking place at Noon ET. You can register to join us live here, otherwise keep a lookout for the recording and transcript which we will make available to all members.
