A freedman is a former slave who has been manumitted or emancipated. Freedmen are a feature of all slave-holding societies. Ancient Rome Compared to the other ancient peoples in the Mediterranean area, the Romans were extremely liberal in freeing slaves and granting Roman citizenships. In fact, freedmen formed about 5% of the population in Rome during the Imperial Age of Rome. Slaves were able to earn their freedom in more than one way. Educated and trained slaves were almost always freed, a… (More on Freedman)