“The slave market in Rome” by J.L.Gérome (1884). The slave was a "res", so it could be bought and sold
Although the expression "buy a slave" sounds horrible to us, in Roman times it defined a common and everyday reality:Rome, however grandiose you want to judge it, did not only mean great merits, but also aspects that were anything but edifying, far from not only today's way of thinking, but also from that of some, albeit very few, civilizations of the past.
In Rome the slaves were devoid of any rights, including the most elementary ones, and totally equated to res, or objects, therefore as such they were treated from a legal and social point of view; consequently, just like any other property, they could be sold and purchased.
The slave traders were called mangones and exercised their profession outdoors in the Forum in a sort of public market, or inside shops where they exhibited the "goods"; the famous painting by Jean-Léon Gérome “The market for slaves in Rome ” of 1884, photograph the situation better than words could.
It often happened that slaves were chosen and sold "in series":one day handsome muscular young men were offered perfect for heavy work, another boy and girl for housework and to entertain the master and guests in every way, another professionals able to perform a specific task such as cooking or playing, the next time it was the turn of the dwarves and physically malformed.
In a special stage, men and women to be sold were displayed with a sign hanging around their necks indicating the characteristics and essential information on them, such as date of birth and origin, as well as qualities and defects, so as to orient in one direction. or in the other the choice of buyers.
Rome was also this.