Slaves constituted the common sub-strata of both the urban and rural population. In keeping with the Roman tradition, Byzantines used slaves as a work force. The Christian religion did not abolish slavery; however, it tried to improve the living conditions of people belonging to this social group. The gradual changes in the economic and social life of the state led to the nullification of the role slaves used to play in rural production. They were gradually replaced by tenants/small-farmers, who although cultivating land that did not belong them, enjoyed legal status.
The preachings of the Church did not justify the exploitation of people as slaves - and particularly of Christians - and the emperors in the 9th-10th century had taken steps accordingly within the framework of this notion that led gradually to the abolition of slavery. Leo VI, for example, by means of his "Novel" no. 38, laid down that the slaves of the imperial estates could have land of their own and dispose it freely. Likewise, in the 10th century, Constantine Porphyrogennetos (Born in the purple) laid down that the slaves belonging to somebody having died intestate would be set free. In this way, the conditions of their emmancipation were simplified, while with the concession of the land acquisition rights, their class started to enter the class of small-farmer tenants. A mighty blow against slavery was dealt out at the beginning of the following period (1081-1204) by Alexios Komnenos who officially recognised marriages between slaves along with allowing its ecclesiastic celebration, a step which put them in the same category as free people and contributed to the definite abolition of this institution.