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Royal Scythians and the Slave-Trade in Herodotus' Scythia*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 May 2015

David Braund
David Braund*
Affiliation:
The University of Exeter
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Extract

Herodotus has a lot to say about slavery and about particular slaves and groups of slaves. The broad theme was, of course, central to his historical conception and presentation of the Persian Wars and of warfare in general, as well as being key to the contrasting nomoi whose range and significance he is concerned to explore. Against that large background, I wish to examine Herodotus' understanding of slavery and slave-trading on the north coast of the Black Sea, with a view to a fuller appreciation of his Histories and of exchange in the region. Three broad observations will assist.

Type
Research Article
Information
Antichthon , Volume 42 , 2008 , pp. 1 - 19
Copyright
Copyright © Australasian Society for Classical Studies 2008

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Footnotes

*

David Braund was the keynote speaker at the 28th Conference of the Australasian Society for Classical Studies held in Newcastle (Australia) in February 2007. The Society is pleased to include this article from him as a memento of his visit to Australia.

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