Recorded instances of slavery date back to the eighteenth century B.C.E. China and slave practices continue to take place in many countries all over the world. Slavery takes many forms and degrees, often reflecting the values and fissures of the cultures in which it takes place. This necessary volume analyzes the complex history of slavery in accessible chapters supplemented by maps, charts, and timelines to facilitate discussion. Relevant topics provide a broad understanding of issues including: the earliest examples of slavery, Ancient Greece and slavery defined as normal, slavery in the Roman empire, the development of the early modern slave trade, the institution of slavery in the United States, and how slavery persists in the modern world.