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O artigo mostra, mediante exemplos iconográficos, as dificuldades metodológicas de identificação de escravos em obras de arte antigas, mas, também, as possibilidades de se obter informações adicionais às fontes literárias. Ainda que, muitas vezes, sejam necessárias inscrições ou fontes escritas adicionais para se definir com exatidão o estatuto jurídico das pessoas representadas, os monumentos transportam, de maneira sutil, informação de outra qualidade sobre a relação senhor-escravo e sobre a auto-compreensão de senhores e de escravos. Algumas das obras até nos oferecem perspectivas dos próprios escravos, que nas fontes escritas são muito raras.The article shows, using iconographic examples, the methodological difficulties of identifying slaves in ancient works of Art, but also the possibilities for additional information on literary sources. Often are necessary additional inscriptions or written sources to define accurately the legal status of the persons represented. But the monuments offer, so subtle, other kind of information on the master-slave relationship and on the self-understanding of masters and slaves. Some of the works of Art offer the perspectives of slaves, that in the written sources are very rare.