On: Google Doodle Upholds Gay Rights Ahead of Sochi Ol...

[maxerickson]

It took until the second century for there to be any restrictions on a Roman killing one of their slaves. For a while after that they just had to have a reason.

That paints a clear enough picture of what was going on.

[einhverfr → maxerickson]

And yet for those without family, there was nobody to prosecute their murder even not being a slave. If you had no real legal protection anyone could kill you. If you were a slave, only your owner could. That's still a major step up.

[maxerickson → einhverfr]

When one person (legally) holds the life of another in their hands, you can't have "interests are aligned well enough".

That it is not the worst aspect of said society is not especially relevant.