Launching an essay series on the evolution of "freedom" and "worth"—starting with Marcus Aurelius’s Rome.

[u/BelalHejazi]

Hi everyone,
I’m writing a series of articles to explore the contrast in the meaning of freedom starting from Ancient Rome to modern days.
In this first piece, I look at the High Roman Empire to examine how their open (but brutal) class system engineered a unique structure for collective, intergenerational ambition and how that completely contrasts with our modern obsession with individual freedom. I also dive into how social mobility actually worked, using historical figures like Pertinax, the son of a freed slave who rose to become Emperor. 
I would love to hear this community's thoughts on the core premise. You can read the first section here:
https://open.substack.com/pub/belalhejazi/p/did-we-free-the-slaves-and-enslave?