This volume investigates the structural role and ideological justification of slavery within the social and economic frameworks of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. Thomas Wiedemann, a noted scholar of classical history, compiles and translates a vast array of primary source documents to provide a rigorous examination of how enslaved individuals were integrated into the daily operations of the ancient world. By organizing these texts thematically, the author constructs a comprehensive analytical framework that allows readers to evaluate the legal, economic, and moral dimensions of servitude in antiquity.

Scholars and students frequently identify this work as a foundational sourcebook for understanding the complexities of ancient labor systems. The text is noted for its academic rigor and its utility as a primary reference tool for those studying the social history of the classical period.