The Slave Trades You Weren’t Taught About: The 5 Worst Slave Trades In History

In this eye-opening episode of The Perspicacious Perspective, we journey through some of the darkest chapters of human history by examining the five most brutal and devastating slave trades ever recorded. From the sprawling deserts of the Trans-Saharan slave routes to the far-reaching ships of the Transatlantic slave trade, I break down the brutal realities behind each system. We dive deep into who suffered, who profited, how long these atrocities endured, and the harrowing conditions that made each uniquely horrific. Join me as we confront these uncomfortable truths — not to dwell on the pain of the past, but to understand the persistent echoes of injustice in our present.

Transcript

Welcome to The Perspicacious Perspective.

If you live in the West, I imagine you’ve been constantly reminded of the hardship that African-Americans endured during the Transatlantic Slave Trade along with all of the malevolent practices that took place, particularly in antebellum America.

Now while you might be aware that other slave trades existed, you might not know much about them, or how bad they actually were.

This episode will tell you all you need to know about the 5 worst slave trades to have ever taken place, where they took place, how long they lasted, who the victims were, who the oppressors were, and what the worst aspects were of the slave trades in question.

I’ll start with the least gruesome slave trade, and work my way to what is considered by most    historians as the worst slave trade to have ever taken place.

Starting at number 5 is the Trans-Saharan slave trade.

How long did the Trans-Saharan slave trade last?

The Trans-Saharan slave trade was one of the longest-running and most devastating slave trades in history, lasting for over 1,000 years, from around the 8th century to the 19th century, with remnants persisting into the early 20th century in some regions. It operated mainly across the Sahara Desert and was deeply connected to the rise and spread of Islam in North and West Africa.

Who were the victims of the Trans-Saharan slave trade?

The primary victims of the Trans-Saharan slave trade were sub-Saharan Africans, particularly from regions that are today parts of Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan, and other areas south of the Sahara. Slaves were captured through warfare, raids, and trade with local African rulers and transported north across the desert. Unlike the transatlantic slave trade, this system often involved long overland journeys rather than ocean crossings.

Although precise numbers are difficult to determine due to the lack of detailed records, historians estimate that millions of Africans were trafficked through this network over the centuries. Some estimates suggest as many as 9 to 10 million may have been enslaved through this route during its full duration.

Who were the oppressors of the Trans-Saharan slave trade?

The oppressors during the Trans-Saharan slave trade were primarily a combination of Arab, Berber, and North African Muslim traders, as well as African intermediaries and rulers who participated in or facilitated the trade.

Arab traders were among the principal drivers of the Trans-Saharan slave trade. With the rise of Islam in the 7th century, a vast commercial and religious network developed across North Africa and the Middle East. Slavery was permitted under Islamic law under certain conditions, and enslaved individuals were often integrated into domestic, military, and sexual roles within Arab societies. Arab merchants and slave raiders established trade routes across the Sahara and deep into sub-Saharan Africa to obtain slaves, gold, and other goods.

Berber peoples (an indigenous ethnic group native to North Africa, particularly in countries like Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and parts of Mali and Niger), played a significant role in conducting and facilitating slave caravans across the desert. These groups often served as guides, guards, and transporters along the trans-Saharan routes. Some Berber tribes made substantial profits from transporting slaves and other commodities to major trading hubs like Timbuktu (in Mali), Tripoli (in Libya), or Cairo (in Egypt).

Powerful Islamic states and dynasties such as those in Morocco, Egypt, and the Maghreb (in Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya) were central consumers of enslaved labor. These states maintained structured markets and institutions that legally and religiously supported the practice of slavery. Enslaved individuals were used in homes, armies, agriculture, and elite harems.

It’s important to acknowledge that some African leaders and warlords were also complicit. They often captured slaves through local wars or raids and sold them to Arab and Berber traders in exchange for goods like horses, weapons, textiles, and salt. This collaboration was not always voluntary or balanced—many African societies were pressured or incentivized to participate in the trade under threat of violence or for economic survival.

The oppressors in the Trans-Saharan slave trade were not a single group, but rather a network of Arab, Berber, North African Muslim elites, and some African rulers who profited from the trafficking of millions of people. While the trade was often framed and justified within the Islamic legal and moral framework of the time, it was, at its core, a deeply exploitative and violent system fueled by greed, power, and racism.

What were the worst aspects of the Trans-Saharan slave trade?

The journey across the Sahara was one of the most dangerous parts of the trade. Slaves were often forced to walk hundreds or even thousands of miles through harsh, arid conditions. Many died from heat, thirst, exhaustion, or mistreatment before even reaching their destination.

A significant number of male slaves were castrated before being sold, especially those destined for service in elite Muslim households or royal courts. This practice was dangerous and often fatal, with extremely high mortality rates during or after the procedure.

Many female slaves were used as concubines or for sexual exploitation. In some societies, they became part of harems and had few, if any, legal protections.

Slaves were often stripped of their cultural identities and forcibly converted to Islam. Their languages, names, and traditions were suppressed or erased, leading to long-term cultural loss for many African communities.

Unlike the transatlantic slave trade, which has received substantial scholarly and public attention, the Trans-Saharan slave trade is less widely studied or acknowledged, despite its scale and its long-lasting impacts on African and Middle Eastern societies.

The Trans-Saharan slave trade was a deeply violent and exploitative system that lasted over a millennium, claimed millions of lives, and inflicted enduring trauma across the African continent. Its legacy, though less visible than that of the Atlantic slave trade, remains significant in shaping the histories and demographics of Africa and the Arab world.

At number 4 we have the Roman and ancient slave trades.

How long did the Roman and ancient slave trades last?

The Roman and ancient slave trades spanned many centuries, with the Roman system in particular lasting from around 500 BCE to 476 CE—approximately 1,000 years. However, slavery was a long-established institution in the ancient world, present in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Persia long before Rome's rise. In the Roman Empire, slavery was embedded into every aspect of life and persisted throughout the Republic and Imperial periods. Beyond Rome, slavery existed in various forms across the ancient Mediterranean and Near East for several millennia.

Who were the victims of the Roman and ancient slave trades?

The victims of Roman and ancient slave trades came from diverse backgrounds. The largest group comprised war captives, as Rome regularly enslaved conquered populations, including Gauls, Greeks, Carthaginians, Germans, Jews, and many others. In addition to those captured in war, piracy and kidnapping were common methods of enslavement, particularly in coastal regions. Debt slavery also played a role, especially in early Roman history, where citizens unable to pay their debts could be sold into slavery. Children born to enslaved women were automatically enslaved, perpetuating the institution across generations. Criminals and those condemned for certain offenses were another source, often sentenced to forced labor or to fight in gladiatorial games. Estimates vary, but historians believe that millions of people were enslaved under Roman rule, with some suggesting that up to 30–40% of the population in Italy alone may have been slaves at the Empire’s peak.

Who were the oppressors of the Roman and ancient slave trades?

The oppressors in the Roman slave system included a wide range of individuals and institutions. Roman elites and wealthy landowners owned vast agricultural estates which were operated by large numbers of enslaved workers. Generals and politicians profited immensely from military conquests, often selling captured peoples into slavery and earning both wealth and political capital in the process. Slave traders and middlemen maintained an extensive market system that stretched across the empire, from Britain to the Middle East. Most importantly, the Roman state itself legalized and institutionalized slavery, embedding it into the legal and economic frameworks of society. While slavery in Rome was not based on race, as it would be in later systems like the transatlantic slave trade, it was nonetheless a deeply dehumanizing and hierarchical institution, grounded in conquest, class, and power.

What were the worst aspects of the Roman and ancient slave trades?

The worst aspects of Roman slavery were marked by extreme brutality and exploitation. One of the most infamous practices was the use of enslaved people as gladiators—forced to fight to the death in public arenas for entertainment. Labor conditions were often inhumane, particularly in mines, on large farms, or in construction projects, where many slaves died from exhaustion or injury. Sexual exploitation was widespread; enslaved women and men were frequently subjected to rape and sexual servitude by their owners. Legally, slaves were considered property, with no rights or personal autonomy. Owners could beat, sell, or even kill them without facing legal consequences. Resistance to slavery did occur, most famously in the revolt led by Spartacus between 73 and 71 BCE, but such uprisings were met with harsh repression. After the Spartacus rebellion, thousands of captured slaves were crucified along the Appian Way, which began in Rome and extended southeast across Italy to the port city of Brindision the Adriatic Sea, as a warning to others. The Roman legal and social systems also maintained psychological control over enslaved people, using both terror and ideology to prevent solidarity and discourage rebellion.

Although not racialized in the same way as later systems like the transatlantic slave trade, Roman slavery left a powerful legacy. It demonstrated how slavery could be normalized within a society and used to underpin an entire economy and social hierarchy. The Roman model of slavery influenced later European institutions and empires, laying foundational ideas about servitude, legal status, and property that would persist long after the fall of Rome. Despite the passage of centuries, the scars of ancient slavery—its logic of domination and dispossession—can still be traced in historical narratives and structures of inequality today.

At number 3 is the Indian Ocean slave trade.

How long did the Indian Ocean slave trade last?

The Indian Ocean slave trade was a vast and enduring system of human trafficking that lasted for over 1,200 years, beginning around the 7th century and continuing in various forms until the early 20th century. This trade was deeply connected to the rise of Islam and the expansion of maritime trade routes across the Indian Ocean, linking regions in East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Persian Gulf, India, Southeast Asia, and even parts of China. Though it was not as widely known as the transatlantic slave trade, it was extensive and brutal in its own way, with its peak occurring between the 9th and 19th centuries. The trade gradually declined as legal abolition took place in many regions by the early 20th century, though illegal slavery persisted in certain areas long after.

Who were the victims of the Indian Ocean slave trade?

The victims of the Indian Ocean slave trade came from a range of ethnic and geographic backgrounds, with the majority being East Africans, particularly from areas such as Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, and the Great Lakes region. These individuals were typically captured through raids, warfare, or bought from local African rulers and intermediaries. Alongside East Africans, many enslaved people were taken from other regions, including Madagascar, the Horn of Africa (which includes Somalia and Ethiopia), and South Asia, especially India during times of famine or conflict. People from Southeast Asia, including modern-day Indonesia and the Philippines, were also captured and traded. Although precise numbers are difficult to determine due to the long span of the trade, historians estimate that at least 4 to 5 million people were involved in this system, and possibly many more.

Who were the oppressors of the Indian Ocean slave trade?

The oppressors in the Indian Ocean slave trade were a combination of various groups, each contributing to the network of exploitation. Arab slave traders, particularly from regions like Oman, Yemen, and the Swahili Coast (which includes Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Somalia, the Comoros Islands and the Seychelles), played a central role in capturing, transporting, and selling enslaved people. Persian and Indian merchants also participated by purchasing slaves for domestic, military, or sexual use. Additionally, Swahili elites and African rulers sometimes collaborated with Arab traders, providing captives in exchange for goods such as cloth, beads, weapons, and rice. European colonial powers, particularly the Portuguese, Dutch, and French, became involved later, especially in places like the Mascarene Islands (which includes the Mauritius islands and Réunion, the overseas French island) and Goa (in India). These groups formed a complex and interconnected network that spanned from inland Africa to the markets and courts of the Arabian Peninsula, Persia, India, and Southeast Asia.

What were the worst aspects of the Indian Ocean slave trade?

The Indian Ocean slave trade was marked by deeply dehumanizing practices. Many enslaved Africans were taken to serve as domestic workers, concubines, eunuchs, or soldiers, roles that often involved sexual exploitation, forced castration, or life-long servitude. One of the most brutal aspects of the trade was the castration of male slaves, especially those intended for service in royal harems, with a significant mortality rate associated with this procedure. Sexual slavery was another widespread issue, particularly for enslaved women who were used as sex slaves in elite Muslim households. The sea voyages involved in transporting enslaved people were often perilous, with many dying from disease, dehydration, or mistreatment during the journey. Once enslaved, individuals faced the painful reality of being separated from their families, as captives were often transported to distant lands and scattered across regions far from their homes. Furthermore, the practice of enslaving people often resulted in the loss of their identity and culture, as many were forced to adopt new names, languages, and religions.

The legacy of the Indian Ocean slave trade can still be seen in the social structures and communities descended from enslaved people. Groups such as the Siddi in India and Pakistan, Makua and Zanj populations in the Middle East, and Afro-Iranians and Afro-Arabs continue to experience stigma and marginalization. Even though formal slavery was abolished in most places by the early 20th century, these communities often face systemic exclusion and discrimination, a painful reminder of the trade's enduring impact on social hierarchies and racial dynamics in the Indian Ocean world.

At number 2 we have the Arab Slave Trade  which spanned from the 7th century up until as recent as the 20th century.

How long did the Arab Slave Trade last?

The Arab Slave Trade was one of the longest-lasting systems of human exploitation in history, enduring for well over a thousand years. It began in the 7th century with the rise of Islam and continued in various forms until the early 20th century, despite international efforts to abolish slavery during the 19th century. This vast network of human trafficking extended across regions including North Africa, the Middle East, East Africa, and parts of Asia. Unlike the Transatlantic Slave Trade, which had a shorter time frame and sharper decline, the Arab Slave Trade was deeply woven into the social, economic, and religious fabric of many Islamic societies for centuries.

Who were the victims of the Arab Slave Trade?

The victims of the Arab Slave Trade came from a wide range of ethnic and geographical backgrounds. The majority were from sub-Saharan Africa, often captured in regions that are today part of Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mozambique, and the Congo. However, the trade also included enslaved people from Eastern Europe, particularly the Slavic regions, as well as from the Caucasus, Central Asia, and even India. Many of those enslaved were taken during raids or wars, while others were sold by local rulers or traders. Women and children were especially vulnerable, with many taken for roles as domestic workers, concubines, or servants in elite households. Over the centuries, historians estimate that between 10 and 18 million Africans were trafficked through this system, although the true number may be higher due to the lack of records and the high mortality rate of enslaved people during transport.

Who were the oppressors of the Arab Slave Trade?

The oppressors in the Arab Slave Trade included a variety of individuals and groups who participated in and benefited from the enslavement of others. Chief among them were Arab and Muslim traders who facilitated the trade across vast distances, connecting sub-Saharan Africa with North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Powerful Arab merchant families, rulers, and elites in cities like Cairo, Mecca, Baghdad, and Muscat were heavily involved in the buying and selling of slaves. In addition, local African intermediaries and Swahili coastal elites played a crucial role, especially in capturing and supplying captives. Berber and Tuareg tribes (a group of Berber-speaking, nomadic pastoralist peoples who inhabit the Sahara Desert, primarily across parts of Mali, Niger, Libya, Algeria, Burkina Faso, and Chad) controlled key routes across the Sahara and often conducted raids to acquire captives. Further east, Ottoman officials and Persian and Indian elites also took part in the trade, using enslaved people in households, harems, and military roles. Though Islamic law did allow for the manumission of slaves (which was the act of setting a slave free) and encouraged humane treatment, in practice, many of these guidelines were ignored or abused to justify continued exploitation.

 What were the worst aspects of the Arab Slave Trade?

The Arab Slave Trade was characterized by several particularly cruel and dehumanizing practices. One of the most notorious was the castration of male slaves, especially those destined to work as eunuchs in royal courts or harems. Enslaved women were frequently subjected to sexual slavery, either in private households or as concubines, and had no legal protections. The journeys endured by captives were themselves acts of suffering, whether across the blistering Sahara Desert or the treacherous waters of the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. Thousands perished from exhaustion, thirst, disease, or abuse. For those who survived, life remained harsh and uncertain. Many were stripped of their cultural identities, renamed, and forcibly converted to Islam. Unlike in the Americas, reproduction among enslaved populations in the Arab world was minimal, particularly due to castration and separation, which meant that new captives had to be constantly acquired to sustain the system.

The legacy of the Arab Slave Trade continues to affect societies in Africa and the Middle East today. Descendants of enslaved populations, such as the Haratin in Mauritania, the Zanj in Iraq, and Afro-Arabs in places like Saudi Arabia and Sudan, often face systemic discrimination and social marginalization. Despite the formal abolition of slavery, the deep-rooted racial hierarchies and prejudices born from centuries of enslavement remain entrenched in some regions. Public discussion of this history is often limited or suppressed, leading to a lack of awareness about the scale and impact of the Arab Slave Trade. Nevertheless, historians and activists continue to uncover and share this vital part of global history, shedding light on a system whose influence still lingers in cultural, economic, and social structures today.

And finally at number 1, we have what is considered the worst slave trade to have ever taken place, yes, the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Many historians argue that the Transatlantic Slave Trade stands out as the most devastating in terms of scale, brutality, racial ideology, and legacy.

How long did the Transatlantic Slave Trade last?

The Transatlantic Slave Trade lasted for over four centuries, beginning in the early 1500s and continuing until the late 1800s. It was formally ended during the 19th century, as abolitionist movements gained strength in Europe and the Americas, although illegal trading persisted into the late 1800s. The trade was a key part of the Triangular Trade, which connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas. European ships carried manufactured goods to Africa, exchanged them for captives, transported those captives across the Atlantic in brutal conditions, and returned with raw materials like sugar, cotton, and tobacco harvested by enslaved labour.

Who were the victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade?

The victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade were primarily Africans, forcibly taken from the western and central regions of the continent. Most came from areas now known as Senegal, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Angola, and the Congo. These individuals were kidnapped through raids, warfare, or sold by rival African groups or local leaders to European and Arab traders in exchange for guns, textiles, alcohol, and other goods. The captives were often marched long distances to coastal forts where they were held in appalling conditions before being loaded onto ships.

Estimates vary, but it is believed that between 12 to 15 million Africans were transported across the Atlantic between the 16th and 19th centuries. Millions more died in the process—during capture, forced marches, or the horrific ocean journey known as the Middle Passage. The victims included men, women, and children, all of whom were stripped of their identities, names, and often their lives.

Who were the oppressors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade?

The oppressors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade were a mix of European powers, African elites, and colonial merchants. European nations such as Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, France, and Britain were heavily involved in organizing, financing, and profiting from the trade. These countries built vast empires on the backs of enslaved Africans, using their labour to fuel the economies of the Americas and Europe.

However, the trade would not have functioned without the cooperation of some African kingdoms and leaders, who provided captives in exchange for European goods. These included the Ashanti Empire(which is located in what is now modern-day Ghana), the Dahomey Kingdom (in what is now southern Benin), and others along the West African coast. Additionally, wealthy merchants in the Americas, plantation owners, and colonial authorities all contributed to the systemic oppression and exploitation of enslaved Africans.

What were the worst aspects of the Transatlantic Slave Trade?

The Transatlantic Slave Trade was one of the most inhumane and brutal chapters in human history. One of the worst aspects was the Middle Passage, the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean during which enslaved Africans were packed tightly into the holds of ships with little food, water, or ventilation. Conditions were so dire that an estimated 15% of the captives died before reaching the Americas. Those who survived faced a lifetime of forced labour, violence, and dehumanization.

Enslaved people were treated as property, bought and sold like livestock, with no legal rights or protections. Families were torn apart, individuals were subjected to beatings, sexual abuse, and psychological trauma, and resistance was often met with brutal punishment or death. The entire system was justified through racist ideologies, which portrayed Africans as subhuman and inherently suited for servitude.

Furthermore, the cultural impact was devastating. Entire communities were depopulated or destabilized in Africa, while in the Americas, enslaved Africans were forced to abandon their languages, traditions, and identities. The psychological and social scars of slavery continue to affect descendants of enslaved people to this day, especially in the United States, the Caribbean, and Brazil, where the largest numbers were taken.

Was the Transatlantic Slave Trade the worst slave trade to have taken place?

While the Arab Slave Trade lasted longer (from the 7th century to the 20th century), the Transatlantic Slave Trade was far more intense over a shorter period, with millions of Africans forcibly transported between the 16th and 19th centuries. The sheer industrial scale and global economic integration of this trade were unprecedented.

The Middle Passage, the transoceanic journey that enslaved Africans endured, is one of the most horrific aspects of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. While the Arab Slave Trade also involved deadly desert crossings and sea routes, the Middle Passage is widely considered one of the most concentrated episodes of human suffering in history.

The Transatlantic system introduced chattel slavery, in which enslaved Africans were treated not just as forced labor but as property with no human rights. Unlike many societies in the Arab world where slaves could sometimes gain freedom, marry, or rise in social rank (though this was limited and did not eliminate cruelty), the Transatlantic system was built on the idea that Africans were inherently inferior, dehumanizing them entirely.

This trade also birthed modern racism. It developed and entrenched the concept of racial hierarchy, using pseudo-science and theology to justify the belief that Black people were suited to enslavement. These ideologies would go on to underpin centuries of colonialism, segregation, and discrimination across the Americas and Europe.

The legacy of the Transatlantic Slave Trade has left profound scars. It devastated African societies by depopulating regions, fueling constant warfare, and disrupting cultural and economic systems. In the Americas, it created racially stratified societies where the descendants of enslaved people still face inequality, poverty, and systemic racism. The trauma of family separation, forced assimilation, and generational exploitation has had long-term psychological and social consequences.

That said, the Arab Slave Trade was also horrific in different ways: it lasted longer; it involved mass castration, especially of African men, with an extremely high death rate; many enslaved people were used as concubines and domestic servants, particularly women, who faced sexual exploitation; and the lack of historical records and widespread discussion about this trade has meant less global recognition and accountability.

While both trades were catastrophic, the Transatlantic Slave Trade is often considered the worst due to its scale, brutality, racial ideology, and enduring impact on modern society. However, this does not minimize the cruelty of the Arab Slave Trade or other forms of slavery throughout history. Each system inflicted immense suffering and understanding them all is essential to confronting historical injustices and their legacies today.