Tours: Sparta Social Classes

Learn about Sparta's different social classes and their conflict-filled history.

Opening RemarksSpartan SocietyHelotsFear and RevoltsHelot SoldiersPerioikoiClosing Remarks

• Leonidas: Welcome to Lakonia, visitor. You're here to learn about Spartan society, yes? Then I won't stop you.

("Who are you?")

("What do you think of this place?")

• Leonidas: Sparta is a glorious place, and you should feel honored to be here. Honored, and perhaps somewhat frigtened.

("Let's begin the tour.")

• Leonidas: Sparta had a unique hierachy, especially compared to the rest of Greece. Everyone had their place, and you will soon learn what those places were. I will find you again once your visit has ended. Until then, visitor.

Bronze feminine figure in Lakonian style / 530 BCE (Archaic Greece)

Spartan society was structured around austerity, self-sufficiency, and a hostility towards foreign elements.

It was divided into three social classes: citizens, perioikoi, and helots.

Citizens were called Spartans, or Homoioi.

They were free men and women with mostly equal rights and wealth, though their contributions to political life were extremely limited.

The perioikoi lived in surrounding areas under Spartan control.

They cultivated the land and were primarily merchants and craftsmen.

They were also part of the army, and their lands were the first line of defense in the event of a hostile attack.

Helots were Sparta's lowest class.

They were people who had lost their freedom to the Spartans, and they served the city as slaves.

Helots were considered property instead of people. As a result, they had no political or civil rights.

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Spartan society was puzzling not only to other Ancient Greeks, but to modern historians, as historical sources are few and far between.

In addition to the three main classes, Sparta's social system became ever more complex in the Classical period with the addition of sub-groups like the Hypomeneiones, the Brasideioi, the mothakes, and the Neodamodeis.

All these groups were bound together not only be a fear of their brutal Spartan superiors, but also by the strict discipline that dictated life in Sparta.

Terracotta figurine of a peasant wearing a pilos and holding a basket / 1st cent. BCE (Hellenistic Greece)

Helots made up the majority of Sparta's population.

According to Polydeykes, they lingered between slavery and freedom.

Two elements made helots differ from other slaves.

They were allowed to form their own families, and they were publicly owned by the city of Sparta instead of private citizens.

Because helots were deemed public property, they could not be sold as merchandise.

They mostly worked to cultivate the land, but also fought in wars alongside the Spartans.

While they gave the fruits of their labor to Sparta, they also kept a fair part of it for themselves.

This practice allowed some helots to make enough money to buy their own freedom.

Alternativety, if a helot served the state well enough in military campaigns, they could also be granted civil rights.

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According to Herodotos, the ratio of Spartans to perioikoi to helots was approximately 1:3:7. Modern historians, meanwhile, calculate that population of Sparta in the 5th century BCE consisted of around 12,000-15,000 Spartans, 40,000-60,000 perioikoi, and 140,000-200,000 helots.

While sources are contradictory, ancient writers like Herodotos, Thucydides, and Plutarch say that helots and Spartans were at odds with eacher other. While helots aided Sparta in battles and military campaigns, they also frequently carried out attacks against Sparta's citizens. Aristoteles even informs us that helots were almost always prepared to take advantage of any misfortune that might befall their masters.

At the same time, Spartans often treated Helots with great cruelty. This is especially evident in an incident that occurred possibly a year after the Battle of Sphakteria in 424 BCE. According to Thucydides, the Spartans secretly slaughtered two thousand Helots, all of whom disappeared without a trace.

Courage of Spartan women defending against Messenians. Oil painting by Jean-Jacques-François Le Barbier (1738-1826)

The founding of Sparta is dated around the 9th century BCE.

Historical information about the city is limited, but it was known to extend into the region of Lakonia.

Over time, Sparta started encroaching on the territory of Messenia, eventually leading to war.

Sparta gained more land in this conflict, which they deivded between their citizens and the perioikoi.

The aftermath of the Second Messenian War from 640-620 BCE then divided the population into three groups: The Homoioi, the perioikoi, and the helots.

The helots of Lakonia mostly respected Sparta's rule, and did not cause much trouble.

However, helots from Messenia supposedly resisted the Spartans, although sources can only confirm one revolt for certain, which occurred in Messenia in 464 BCE.

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Spartans deployed helots in military expeditions both to reinforce their soldiers, and to prevent possible slave revolts back in Sparta. However, the latter strategy did not always work.

In 464 BCE, Lakonia was hit with an earthquake that sources say killed approximately 20,000 Spartans. Seeing an opportunity, the helots took advantage of the quake's aftermath and revolted. The revolt was so serious that two years later, in 462 BCE, Sparta was forced to appeal to their Peloponnesian allies — as well as Athens — for military aid.

The Athenian general Kimon managed to assemble 4,000 hoplites to help the Spartans. However, the Spartans sent them away, worried that they would actually try to aid the helots in an effort to undermine Sparta's power in the Peloponnese.

The Spartans eventually quelled the revolt, but it greatly damaged the city's foreign policy and diplomatic relations, making it one of the greatest instances of social unrest Classical Sparta.

Fragment of geometric krater depicting oarsmen / 8th cent. BCE (Archaic Greece)

During the 5th century BCE, helots were quite active in the army — especially during the Peloponnesian War.

They served as hoplites on land as rowers during naval battles.

In both cases, they gave Sparta an important numerical advantage. For every Spartan on the battlefield, there were at least seven helots.

Although many ancient sources say Spartan had a hostile relationship with helots, they were much likely to treat them better in times of war.

For example, when three hundred helots and 120 elite Spartans were captured by Athens during the Battle of Sphakteria in 425 BCE, the Spartans promised the helots their freedom if they served them well in combat.

Similarly, around the same time, the Spartan general Brasidas fought a battle alongside seven hundred helots.

Impressed by their courage and loyalty, Brasidas later freed them all and allowed them to join the perioikoi.

Lakonian lead figure of a warrior with a helmet and shield / 6th-5th cent. BCE (Archaic Greece)

Perioikoi were another group of Sparta's population.

They lived not in the city itself, but in its surrounding areas.

The perioikoi were never hostile against the Spartans. In fact, both groups together known by the collective name "Lakedaemonians".

Periokic cities had their own autonomy and sanctuaries, but they were always bound to Sparta.

They were allowed to develop their own local laws and economies, but could never reach a level of prosperity that rivaled their parent state.

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The main factor linking Spartans and perioikoi was military service. The perioikoi played an important role in the army, often backing up the forces of the Homoioi as hoplites.

Spartans and perioikoi allegedly fought together in army divisions known as Iochoi. Thucydides' description of the Pylos campaign in 425 BCE mentions that of the 300 hoplites captured alive by the Athenians, only 120 were Spartans, and the rest were non-Spartans.

• Leonidas: I see you've finished. I hope you have a better appreciation for Spartan society. Nothing we do is without reason, and every man, woman, and child has a role to play. What would you like to do?

("I'm ready for the quiz.") ("Take on the next suggested tour.") ("Take me on a random tour.") ([LEAVE] "That's all for now.")

• Leonidas: Then you may leave. Farewell, visitor.