Legal Definitions - liberti

Liberti

Liberti were slaves who had been freed by their masters in ancient Rome. They were considered free, but still had a relationship with their former masters, who were called patrons.

An example of a liberti would be a slave who had been freed by their master after many years of service. They would no longer be considered a slave, but would still have a connection to their former master as a patron.

Another example would be a group of liberti who had formed their own community after being freed by their masters. They would still have ties to their former masters, but would also have their own social structure and way of life.

These examples illustrate how liberti were considered free, but still had a relationship with their former masters. They were not completely independent, but had a unique status in Roman society.