The number one difference between slavery in America and slaveryin ancient Rome was its foundation. American slavery was based onrace or skin color. Roman slavery was based on birth. The ancientshad no sense of racism. (They did have prejudices againstforeigners, but this was based on nationality, not race.) InAmerica, few slaves were freed in comparison to their numbers,while in Rome hundreds of slaves were freed annually. The freedslaves in Rome, although owing a limited service to their formermasters, were free to climb the social ladder and many of them did,becoming businessmen, craftsmen, or government officials. InAmerica it was much more difficult, as race and lack of educationworked against the freed slave. The ancient slaves always had thehope of freedom, either from their owners or by buying theirfreedom. An American slave did not have this advantage.