It was estimated that 20 percent of the population of the Romans in Italy were slaves. Slave workers were owned by Roman citizens or the government. Many slaves were brought back from foreign wars but some were born as slaves to a slave woman and were bought and sold at markets. The Government used slaves to maintain public buildings and to work in public baths as well as the woman in the patrician (rich) families, who ordered slaves to do the housework. Gladiators were slaves who were used for entertainment. They had to fight fellow slaves or wild beasts. Some slaves rebelled against their harsh treatment and were later killed, but some other slaves got their freedom.