This chapter examines the experiences of slaves in various sectors of the economy, including agriculture, manufacturing, mining and domestic labor, as well as banking, commerce and the state bureaucracy.

This chapter explores the various ways that individuals became enslaved and what the experience of enslavement was like, including capture, transport, sale and entry into a new society. A distinction is made between those who experienced a transition from freedom to slavery and those who were born into slavery, as well as those who were of Greek ethnicity and those who came from non-Greek lands.

This chapter provides an introduction to the book. It begins by justifying the study of ancient slavery then turns to the difficulties of studying slavery from the available evidence. Methods for recovering the experiences of slaves are explored, including the use of comparative evidence. Next, ancient and modern definitions of slavery are surveyed and the distinctions between slavery and other forms of unfree labor, including serfdom, are discussed.

This chapter explores the various responses of enslaved individuals to slavery, ranging from accommodation to full scale rebellion and everything in-between. It also examines the ways that slave-owners attempted to control their slaves, including brutal mistreatment (whipping) and positive incentives to loyal service such as the promise of liberation.

This final chapter addresses the question of why we should care about the history of slavery in ancient Greece. The answer centers on the need to acknowledge not only the exploitation of thousands of enslaved individuals but also the contributions of enslaved individuals to almost all aspects of what is often celebrated uncritically as “Greek civilization.”

This chapter explains how the imperial urban system expanded into south China. After the fall of the Han Dynasty, fighting in the north caused southern migration, particularly after the An Lushan Rebellion in 755. This led to the growth of commercial cities in the Lower Yangzi Delta, which were linked to the northern capitals via the Grand Canal after the reunification of China under the Sui Dynasty. At the same time, Chinese cities were linked to the medieval international world over land along the Silk Road, and over sea via Guangzhou. In northern capitals, which reflected the influence of the Kaogongji, cities continued to be walled and divided into wards. However, in the Lower Yangzi Delta commercial cities were more open plan. Meanwhile, the arrival of Buddhism and Daoism into China brought monasteries and temples into cities, while monks began to take responsibility for aspects of urban governance along with imperial officials. Wards divided cities socially as well as physically. The wealthy enjoyed lavish lifestyles, built palaces and mansions, donated to monasteries, and constructed gardens. Goods and people from outside China made cities more cosmopolitan, and writers reflected on this and other aspects of urban life in their poetry.

During the nineteenth century the seeds were sown for the emergence of China’s modern urban society. The opening of treaty ports reshaped the urban system. The Grand Canal was replaced as the main link between north and south by new coastal shipping connections, and cities along the coast grew rapidly in size. Foreign powers controlled parts of treaty port cities, and they established municipal councils responsible for many aspects of urban life such as policing, water, gas, electricity, and transport systems. New urban forms first appeared in treaty ports, but then like the new government institutions crossed over into Chinese cities. At the same time, businessmen, merchants, and other groups of urban inhabitants asserted themselves through new institutions like chambers of commerce or through old ones like guilds. Chinese and foreign communities in treaty ports did business together and mingled in some social settings, such as bars or restaurants. However, for the most part the social and cultural lives of these two communities were separate, and misunderstandings were common. Although imperialism brought with it ideas, products, and technologies that were beginning to change urban life, as yet these remained beond the reach of most Chinese.