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Between a quarter and a third of Athens 300,000 population were slaves. These were men and women captured in wars or born into slavery.Many slaves had special skills, such as nurses and teachers, while others had the hardest and most unpleasant work to do. It was common for a rich household to have many slaves.
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Some slaves were owned by the state. For example archers from Scythia were used as a kind of police force by the Athenian government.
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Some skilled slaves worked as pottery painters. It was possible for them to save their wages and eventually buy their freedom.
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| This scene from a wine cup shows a slave dancing to entertain party guests. |
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