Former slaves who had been legally manumitted and entered Roman civic society with continuing obligations to former owners.
Overview
A freedman gained legal freedom but normally retained duties toward the former master, now the patron. Freedmen could work, trade, accumulate wealth, marry, and form families.
Why It Matters
Their children could be freeborn citizens, making manumission an important mechanism of social incorporation.
In Roman Practice
Status distinctions remained powerful. Wealthy freedmen could achieve economic prominence while still facing legal and social limitations.