Citizens
Initially the slaves were used to help and entertain the people of Rome in a distraction to keep them from questioning the true motives of the Empire. Although since there were so many slaves being brought into Rome, it was beginning to have a bad effect for the citizens. Many Roman farmers lost their jobs because there were so many slaves, some of the poor were released from agricultural work (Manson, M.K., 2013).
This caused horrific over population problems; food shortages, violence, disease, and the widespread problems of housing and fires (Kamm, A. 2009). Also, reliance on slave labour led to the deterioration in morals, values and ethics (Alchin, L. 2015). This was because the citizens of Rome saw the slaves as tools and barely treated them like they were human, punishing them as if they were animals.
Although using the slaves in the Gladiatorial games was extremely successful because it did in fact not only keep the people of Rome happy but kept them busy as well.