Greco-Roman Egypt had an ordering of social classes, with slaves being the lowest social class. The origin in the emergence is an economic reason is the need for manpower to cover the shortage that primitive societies suffered in their better period. The origin in the appearance of the slavery is an economic purpose is the need for manpower to cover the shortage that primitive societies suffered in their upper stage.

The Ptolemaic Period in Egypt shows an increase in slavery based on war capture, the purchase of slaves from Syria and Palestine, the enslavement of debtors, and the inherited status of slaves' children born in the house of their masters.

Roman rule over Egypt was a time of peace, and this is also the time when the Roman civil wars came to an end. Despite the fact that some routes developed between the Roman state and its neighboring nations in the east, south, and north, this led to the enslavement of many hostages of war.