Very few Roman slaves were involved in agriculture?

Not so many people work in farming today, but those that do are still often very poor, and often – if they are migrant laborers, for instance – sleep in barracks. Slave ... Other slaves were forced to work deep underground in the mines, getting gold or silver or copper or iron or tin for the Roman government. read more

No doubt, some slave owners were more generous than others and there was, in a few cases, the possibility of earning one's freedom but the harsh day-to-day reality of the vast majority of Roman slaves was certainly an unenviable one. read more

Slaves were also freed through testamentary manumission, by a provision in an owner's will at his death. Augustus restricted such manumissions to at most a hundred slaves, and fewer in a small household. Already educated or experienced slaves were freed the most often. read more