Ilot is the slave of Ancient Sparta

Ilot is the native inhabitant of Messenia and Lakonia. Each of them was conquered by the Dorians and was a slave of the Spartan state.

Who are the helots?

The Greek tribes of the Dorians who came from the Balkan Peninsula were made slaves by the Greeks living in this region, and the lands that yielded a good harvest were taken away. Ironically, there were fewer conquerors than the native population, which was conquered. They settled all together on the river Eurot, where the city of Sparta was formed. The Conqueror began to call himself a Spartan, and Ilot is a local resident, whom he captured.

In Athens, after the reforms of Solon, all the slaves were strangers, that is, not of Greek origin. And the isotope is the same Greek. And he spoke the same language as the Spartan. Therefore, this state of affairs caused dissatisfaction with the demos throughout Greece, as it was then believed that only foreigners could be slaves, but by no means Greeks.

The place of the helots in Sparta

The land captured by the Spartans was divided between their families. Each of them received approximately the same sites, which were called clerks (or clays in Doriysk). However, the family did not have the right to donate or sell them. Owning a clerk is an indispensable attribute of civil rights for a group of ruling Spartans.

The helots in the Spartan state were, as was said before, slaves, and therefore they worked and lived on land belonging to the Spartans, who in turn engaged only in military affairs.

Helots lived in small towns throughout the country. They were engaged in the cultivation of bread and vegetables, olives, grapes, and also raised cattle, brought to Sparta all the necessary products for the Spartans.

Helots paid the owner of the site where they lived a natural rent, which was a certain amount of agricultural products. This most obrok made by approximate calculations about half of the total harvest. A law was passed that stated that the owner of the land plot had no right to take over the established rate.

Ilot is "captured" in the translation from the Greek language. These people were not allowed to move freely around the country, which previously belonged to their ancestors. However, they could start families and get paid for their work. Each of the helots was not the property of any individual Spartan, but of the entire state as a whole. The owner of the site, to which the helots were attached, did not have the right to sell or to deprive them of their life.

The Spartans, on the other hand, treated their slaves-helots quite cruelly and rudely, mocked them. Their situation was quite difficult. Therefore, the Helots tried to raise uprisings. To avoid this, the government of Ancient Sparta often carried out the cratches - these are massacres. Destroyed those helots that were the most dangerous or unreliable. This mass extermination of the unarmed population was then considered as training before the war for the young Spartans.

Conclusion

Thus, helots were the lowest estate in ancient Sparta. They were severely restricted in their rights, if we compare them with the Spartans. They could not own weapons and serve in the army. The main task of the state was to keep in obedience and fear all helots. However, in the event of military action, Helots were obliged to fight on the side of Sparta.