HELOTS Meaning and
Definition
-
Helots refers to a group of enslaved people belonging to the ancient city-state of Sparta in Greece. They comprised the majority of the population and were considered the lowest social class within Spartan society. The term "helot" comes from the Greek word "heλώτης" (helotes), meaning "captives" or "serfs."
The helots were primarily conquered neighboring populations, such as the Messenians, who were subjugated by the Spartans during the Messenian Wars in the 8th and 7th centuries BCE. The helot population served as agricultural laborers, cultivating the land and providing resources for the Spartan citizens, who were mostly warriors.
In Spartan society, helots were harshly oppressed and subjected to brutal treatment. They were not considered free individuals and were bound to the land they worked on. The helots could not own property or have any rights, and they were at the absolute mercy of their Spartan masters. They were often subjected to abusive treatment, corporal punishment, and blatant discrimination.
The main purpose of the helots was to maintain the Spartan way of life by providing a stable food supply and freeing up Spartan citizens to focus on their military training. As a result, the helots played a critical role in supporting the Spartan military machine, although they were denied any share of political or social power.
Despite their significant contributions to Spartan society, the helots remained one of the most exploited and marginalized group of people in ancient Greece. Their servitude lasted for centuries until the decline of Sparta in the Hellenistic period.
Common Misspellings for HELOTS
Etymology of HELOTS
The word "helots" can be traced back to ancient Greece. The term derives from the ancient Greek word "heilotes" (Ἑῑλῶται), which refers to a class of unfree people who were subjugated by the Spartans, a powerful Greek city-state.
The precise etymology of the Greek word "heilotes" is uncertain. Some scholars believe it might come from the ancient Greek word "helos" (ἧλος), meaning "capture" or "prisoner", emphasizing the servile status of the helots. Another theory suggests that the term might come from the Greek island of Helos, which was said to be a primary source of helot laborers.
The helots were an enslaved population conquered by the Spartan state during their campaigns in Messenia, a region in the Peloponnese peninsula of Greece.
Similar spelling words for HELOTS
- holds,
- heliothis,
- hell dust,
- heats,
- melts,
- hoots,
- blots,
- clots,
- haloes,
- halts,
- Halos,
- helps,
- hellos,
- pelts.
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
