Historical factor

Slavery and the slave trade

Slavery and the slave trade refers to the recurring pattern in which empires relied on enslaved labour and on capturing and trading people for wealth and power. Slaves worked plantations, mines and households, served as soldiers and were sold across deserts and oceans. Examples include the Portuguese and Brazilian empires in the Atlantic system, the Oyo Empire and Kongo Empire in the African trade and the Roman Empire.

Mentioned in 24 profiles

Abbasid CaliphateSocioeconomy Ashanti EmpireSocioeconomy Babylonian EmpireGovernance Benin EmpireSocioeconomy, Decline Brazilian EmpireSocioeconomy, Governance, Impact, Decline British EmpireFoundation, Military, Impact Darfur SultanateSocioeconomy Ethiopian EmpireSocioeconomy, Governance French EmpireSocioeconomy Garamantian EmpireSocioeconomy, Impact Jolof EmpireSocioeconomy, Military Kaabu EmpireSocioeconomy, Military, Impact, Decline, Summary Kanem-Bornu EmpireSocioeconomy Kongo EmpireSocioeconomy, Governance, Impact, Decline, Summary Lunda EmpireSocioeconomy Majapahit EmpireSocioeconomy Neo-Sumerian EmpireSocioeconomy Oyo EmpireSocioeconomy, Impact, Summary Portuguese EmpireSocioeconomy, Governance, Decline Punic EmpireSocioeconomy, Impact, Decline Roman EmpireSocioeconomy Rozvi EmpireDecline Sokoto CaliphateSocioeconomy, Decline Wadai EmpireSocioeconomy, Impact

See also

Cite this entry

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Slavery and the slave trade. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/slavery-and-the-slave-trade
MLA: “Slavery and the slave trade.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/slavery-and-the-slave-trade. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Slavery and the slave trade.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/slavery-and-the-slave-trade.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Slavery and the slave trade’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/slavery-and-the-slave-trade (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻