2- The Auction House

As days pass, Thallus’s patience is tested, and the thoughts of escaping become more and more desirable. Thallus begins to plan his escape even though the mere thought of it makes his head spin due to the realities of the punishment he may be subjected to. However, freedom to him is greater than death. Eventually, Thallus takes advantage of his master’s carelessness and makes his escape. Runaway slaves were referred to as 'fugitives' by the Romans, and as Moses Finley, the greatest contemporary scholar of ancient slavery, put it, 'fugitive slaves are like an obsession in the sources.' This implies that fleeing was still a common occurrence. To cope with the issue, the Romans employed skilled slave catchers and placed posters in public places with detailed descriptions of fugitives and reward offers for their arrest. They also tied iron collars around the necks of slaves who were recovered, and instructions for what to do with the slaves who wore them if they escaped again. Exhibits of this kind can still be seen in museums.

As Thallus makes his escape, he encounters a slave auction house on his way out of the city, he is in awe of what he sees which is a group of slaves standing on a stand. This angers him as it reminds him of his past. Slaves were sold at public auction or in markets, or by private selling in the case of more expensive slaves, throughout the empire. The Roman fiscal authorities known as quaestors were in charge of slave trade. Slaves were often sold on spinning stands, with a kind of plaque detailing their origins, fitness, temperament, wisdom, education, and other details relevant to purchasers hung around each slave for sale. Slave prices ranged depending on their age and quality, with the most desirable slaves commanding the highest prices. Slaves were shown nude to the Romans so they could see just what they were purchasing. If a slave had flaws that were not apparent at the time of selling, the dealer was obliged to return the slave within six months or make up the buyer's loss. At the market, slaves who were to be sold without a promise were forced to wear a hat.