Editing Helots (section)

{{Short description|Subjugated population in Sparta, ancient Greece}}
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{{Spartan Constitution}}
The '''helots''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|ɛ|l|ə|t|s|,_|ˈ|h|iː|l|ə|t|s}}; {{langx|el|εἵλωτες}}, ''heílotes'') were a [[Wikt:subjugate|subjugated]] population that constituted a majority of the population of [[Laconia]] and [[Messenia]] – the territories ruled by [[Sparta]]. There has been controversy since [[Classical antiquity|antiquity]] as to their exact characteristics, such as whether they constituted an [[List of ancient Greek tribes|Ancient Greek tribe]], a [[social class]], or both. For example, [[Critias]] described helots as "[[Slavery in ancient Sparta|slaves]] to the utmost",<ref>Apud [[Libanios]], ''Orationes'' 25, 63 = Frag. 37 DK; see also Plutarch, ''Li hi Lycurgus'' 28, 11.</ref> whereas according to [[Julius Pollux|Pollux]], they occupied a [[status (law)|status]] "between [[Freedman|free men]] and slaves".<ref>Pollux 3, 83. The expression probably originates in [[Aristophanes of Byzantium]]; Cartledge, p.139.</ref> Tied to the land, they primarily worked in [[agriculture of ancient Greece|agriculture]] as a majority and economically supported the [[Sparta]]n citizens.

The proportion of helots in relation to Spartan citizens varied throughout the history of the Spartan state; according to [[Herodotus]], there were seven helots for each of the 5,000 Spartan soldiers at the time of the [[Battle of Plataea]] in 479 BC.<ref>Herodotus. ''Histories'' 9.10.</ref> Thus the need to keep the helot population in check and to prevent rebellion were major concerns of the Spartans. Helots were ritually mistreated and humiliated. Every autumn the Spartan [[polis]] declared war on the helots, allowing them to be killed and abused by members of the [[Crypteia]] without fear of religious repercussion.<ref>Plutarch, ''Life of Lycurgus'', 28, 3–7.</ref><ref>Herakleides Lembos ''Fr. Hist. Gr.'' 2, 210.</ref><ref>Athenaeus, 657 D.</ref> 
Uprisings and attempts to improve the lot of the helots did occur, such as the [[conspiracy of Cinadon]] of 399 BC. Plato on the other hand does not mention the killings by the Crypteia at all in [[Laws (dialogue)| ''Laws'']].<ref>{{Cite book|last= Dodd|first= David| chapter= Adolescent Initiation in Myth and Tragedy: Rethinking the Black Hunter| title= Initiation in Ancient Greek Rituals and Narratives: New Critical Perspectives|publisher= Routledge|year= 2013|isbn= 978-1-135-14365-7|pages=71–84 | quote = Vidal-Naquet does acknowledge that the primary function of the ''krypteia'' was to terrorize Helots [...].}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last= Vidal-Naquet|first= Pierre|url= https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/7658419 |title= Le chasseur noir : formes de penseé et formes de société dans le monde grec |date=1981|publisher=F. Maspero|isbn=2-7071-1195-3|location=Paris|oclc=7658419
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