Quote:I'm curious, is there even any evidence that the jews were enslaved in Egypt at all?
Actually, there is only a very limited indication of the existence of slavery in ancient Egypt at all and certainly not of entire populations. The Ancient Egyptians used a corvee labor system in which free citizens were expected to provide labor on various projects. They were paid, usually in beer and bread (coins had not been invented at the time) and since these were the same workers who were needed to till the fields the bulk of their service was performed during the annual Nile flood when agriculture was impossible.
In addition to the public works application think of it in regard to the Romans' use of the legions for construction work during periods of peace. Keep them busy, keep them out of trouble.
