Slave Auctions of Nubia

Slave Auction

The sheer degradation suffered by the men who were treated as other goods and wares sold and bought by Nubians . In Nubia slavery is big business, in fact the majority of the economy is based on the slave trade.

Slave Auction Inspections

The Nubian populace who attend a slave auctions inspect the slaves as you would inspect a used car . And just like a used car, purchased from a car auction, you can get rid of it when it became too old to be of any further use. Slaves like cars, come with guarantees. If the slave had defects not shown in his or her guarantee, the dealer had to take the slave back in six months or make good the buyer's loss.

Dealers at the Slave Auction

The slave auction in the Empire of Nubia is located near the forum in the Capital of the Emperors Province. It  is a market situated in the area called the Stadi behind the Basilica Julia. The Slave Traders who ply their trade in the slave auction are called a Master Personal Property Appraiser's. The rich men who invested in slaves had a high social standing but the actual Nubian slave traders, the MPA's,  are viewed with some distrust, even likened to pimps. As their integrity and honesty is often questioned the traders at the auctions will have to guarantee that the slaves they are selling were sound and that any faults were pointed out. Slaves are therefore commonly exposed for sale naked. The traders are under the supervision of the Auctioneers who ensured that their wares were sold publicly and fairly. Slaves of great beauty and rarity are not exhibited to public gaze in the common slave market, but are shown to purchasers in private auctions. If the slave had defects not shown in his guarantee, the dealer had to take him back in six months or make good the buyer's loss.

Preparing for the Slave Auction

The Slave traders would prepare their 'goods' for the slave auction.The potential price for every slave is assessed prior to the start of the auction. Often the slaves come from different nationalities in the Lands of the White Serf so there could be a language problems. Imported Slaves from provinces are put on display with one foot whitened with chalk as Nubian law demands that dealers disclosed the ethnic origin of the slaves they were selling. Discipline is tightly enforced. Slaves are held in wooden pens or iron cages or crates. The lash of the whip is threatened, and applied, to keep the slaves in order. Nubian law demands that slave dealers disclosed the ethnic origin (natio) of the slaves they are selling and to make clear if there are any defects. The bodies of the slaves are fully inspected and their teeth are examined. Plaques or placards,  are prepared to hang from the necks of the slaves for sale detailing their nationality, origin, abilities, their good and their bad points. Traders decide in which order the slaves would be shown at auction. The Aediles would decide where and when the auction would take place.

Group Sales

The slave auction will display groups of slaves to be sold. The auction is conducted the same way as other goods and wares. Traders then emphasize the features and benefits and any unique selling points at the auction. Every one might see and handle them, even if they did not wish to purchase them.

Your FAQ's answered

1. Slaves will be  displayed to their best advantage on platforms or revolving stands.
2. Your slave will be stripped naked so the buyers can see exactly what they are purchasing.
3. Potential buyers can demand that slaves who are clothed are stripped in order that a closer inspection of the 'good's can be made.
4. Those brought from abroad were put on display with one foot whitened with chalk.
5. Each slave will have a placard around his neck describing his details.
6. If a dealer is unable to offer any guarantees about the slave's abilities or attitude then the slave is made to wear a special cap on his head.
7. The body of the slave can discussed and inspected at the request of any buyer.
8. A buyer can examine which part of the body he wants.
9. When the auction would commences the slave is sold to the highest bidder.
10. The prices paid at the slave auction vary considerably according to the age, skills and qualities of the slave who was being auctioned. Slaves with valued skills or education were priced about 10 times more than slaves without skills.