Synopsis

From plebeians refusing to join the Roman army to bakers withholding bread, Strike is the first book to comprehensively explore how Roman workers utilized strikes, boycotts, riots, and rebellion to get their voices—and their indispensable labor—acknowledged. Historian Sarah E. Bond retells the traditional story of Ancient Rome from a groundbreaking new angle, demonstrating that the history of labor conflicts and collective action goes back thousands of years, uncovering a world far more similar to our own than modern audiences realize.

Workers in the ancient world frequently turned to their associations for solidarity and shared identity. Some of these organized groups even negotiated contracts, wages, and work conditions in a manner strikingly similar to modern labor unions. As the contemporary world reconsiders the value and necessity of unionization to protect the working class, this text proves that we can glean valuable lessons from ancient laborers and the Roman government's attempts to limit their freedoms.

Author Biography

Sarah E. Bond is a distinguished historian and classicist known for her vital research on labor, law, and marginalization in the ancient Mediterranean world. Her work bridges the gap between antiquity and modern socio-economic challenges, providing fresh relevance to the study of classical history.

Accolades & Reviews

"First-rate. . . . A sterling example of historical revisionism."
— Publishers Weekly

Recommended For

Classicists, labor organizers, economic historians, and readers interested in the ancient origins of workers' rights, unionization, and socio-economic resistance.

Product Specifications