William Owens discusses his chapter “Literary Constructions and Stereotypes of Slavery” from the book Ancient Slavery and Its New Testament Contexts. He also discusses his academic journey and insights into the literary constructions of slavery in ancient texts. He emphasizes the importance of reading against the grain to uncover the voices of the enslaved and critiques the stereotypes and power dynamics present in these narratives. The discussion also explores the role of tenant farmers versus enslaved individuals, cultural reflections on slavery in modern media, and the complexities of enslaved characters in literature. Owens concludes with recommendations for further reading including Slavery and Society at Rome, Slave Theater in the Roman Republic: Plautus and Popular Comedy, and the works of author Robert Harris.

Follow the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, iHeartRadio, Player FM, Listen Notes, Podchaser, Boomplay. Please reach out with guest suggestions and/or feedback at [email protected]. If you would like to support the podcast financially, you can hear episodes a week early for $5 a month on Patreon. You can also get updates and promotional clips if you follow us on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Bluesky, Spoutible, Twitter, Threads, Wordpress, and Tumblr.