Labor Strikes in Ancient Egypt and Rome: How Workers Organized Collective Action
Title: Labor Movements Across Millennia: From Ancient Egypt to Modern Museum Workers
At first glance, the sight of modern-day museum workers striking may appear to be a contemporary phenomenon rooted in recent labor disputes. However, their protests are part of an age-old tradition of collective worker action that dates back over 3,000 years to ancient civilizations. Through new research and historical insight, we are gaining a fuller understanding of how labor organizing, far from being a modern invention, played a significant role in shaping societies as far back as Ancient Egypt and Rome.
The Oldest Recorded Strike: Deir el-Medina, Egypt (1157 BCE)
The roots of labor resistance stretch deep into history, with the earliest recorded strike taking place in Deir el-Medina, an artisan’s village in Ancient Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses III. Known as the “Turin Strike Papyrus,” this remarkable document details how workers constructing the royal necropolis, including the Valley of the Kings, stopped work due to missed rations and delayed wages. They calmly laid down their tools and protested outside the mortuary temple, a strategy uncannily similar to modern sit-ins and labor demonstrations.
The artisans’ grievances were not isolated complaints but indicative of a broader understanding of their role in society and their rights as workers. In fact, these skilled laborers had a form of organized leadership and utilized nonviolent strategies to pressure authorities—an early prototype of labor union tactics.
Resistance in the Roman Empire: A Force of Enslaved and Freed Laborers
Jumping forward to the Roman Empire, resistance took different forms under different social conditions. While Ancient Egypt’s laborers were either state-employed or semi-independent, much of Rome’s workforce was composed of enslaved people or debt-bonded individuals. New research has revealed that up to 20–25% of the Roman population at its peak may have been enslaved. These individuals were often essential to all levels of labor, from agriculture to massive public construction works.
Although enslaved persons in Rome had severely limited rights, mass resistance still occurred, particularly in the form of revolts like the infamous Spartacus rebellion. Freedmen and working-class citizens also staged protests, sometimes violently clashing with authorities, as seen in events like the Riot of 59 CE in the Pompeii amphitheater—a conflict so disruptive that Emperor Nero had to intervene and ban public games in Pompeii for ten years.
Despite their importance, the stories of these workers have remained largely untold or misrepresented. Classical texts, predominantly authored by the wealthy elite, often characterized labor uprisings as unruly riots rather than legitimate protests. This historical narrative tends to obscure the systemic exploitation and collective resistance of workers, distorting the broader social dynamics of the ancient world.
Material Evidence and Modern Reframing
Today, scholars like Professor Sarah E. Bond, a public historian and contributor to Hyperallergic, are helping reframe these stories through a social history lens. In her new book, Strike: Labor, Unions, and Resistance in the Roman Empire, Bond brings visibility to long-overlooked groups such as women textile workers in Ancient Egypt who organized walkouts—individuals whose actions resonate with today’s labor struggles.
Bond also critiques how historical perspectives have been shaped not just by elite authors but also by modern class and racial biases, particularly in the classics field, which has long focused on aristocrats and military figures rather than everyday laborers. Through fresh archaeological finds and a more inclusive analysis of ancient texts, historians are now piecing together the lives of those who formed the backbone of the ancient economy.
From Ancient Resistance to Modern Solidarity
The recent movements by museum workers in institutions like the Brooklyn Museum—who are demanding fair wages, job security, and institutional accountability—echo these age-old struggles for dignity. These workers continue to shed light on labor’s essential role in cultural institutions, just as their ancient counterparts did in temples, amphitheaters, and palaces.
Modern media platforms like the Hyperallergic Podcast are amplifying these parallels, drawing connections between today’s labor activism and its ancient antecedents. The podcast features conversations with experts like Bond and coverage of contemporary labor events, creating a bridge between past and present.
Conclusion: History is the Laborers’ Story Too
Far from being an invention of the industrial age, organized labor is as ancient as the pyramids themselves. Whether in the shadow of the tombs in Egypt or the bustling forums of Rome, workers have historically asserted their rights, refused exploitation, and demanded recognition. Their stories, long buried under centuries of elite narratives, are finally surfacing—thanks to new research, inclusive scholarship, and the continued activism of modern workers.
As society reevaluates labor in a post-pandemic world, it’s worth remembering: striking is not just civil disobedience—it’s part of a human tradition that predates modern capitalism by millennia. And the voices of those past protestors still echo loudly across