Were all great human empires built on the backs of slaves?

Empires were built on exploitation, which is not limited to slavery, but of course can include it. Slavery has been a part of almost every civilization for much of human history. read more

No. Some empires were built with pure military conquests, such as the Mongol Empire. Slaves may have been used after the Mongols conquered, but slaves did not build the empire. The Roman Empire was built by conquests made by the citizen army and then a professional army. read more

The 6,000 slaves who were taken prisoner were crucified along the Appian Way (the main road into Rome). Their bodies were left to hang on the crosses for several months as a warning to other slaves who might consider the possibility of rebelling against their Roman masters. Not all slaves were treated badly. read more