Did Athens Have Slaves. The least desirable job a slave could have was as a worker in the silver mines around athens. Slaves were the lowest class in athenian society, but according to many contemporary accounts they were far less harshly treated than in most other greek cities.
At the time of classical athens (the 5th through the 3rd century bce) slaves constituted about a third of the population. 5 facts about the life of slaves in ancient greece.