Helot is a native of Messenia and Laconia. Each of them was conquered by the Dorians and was a slave to the Spartan state.
Who are the helots
The Greek tribes of the Dorians who came from the Balkan Peninsula made slaves of the Greek population living in this area, and took the lands that gave a good harvest to themselves. Oddly enough, but there were fewer conquerors than the indigenous population that was conquered. They settled all together on the Evrot River, where the city of Sparta was formed. The conqueror began to call himself Spartan, and Helot is a local resident whom he captured.
In Athens, after the reforms of Solon, all the slaves were foreigners, that is, not of Greek origin. A helot is the same Greek. And he spoke the same language with the Spartan. Therefore, this state of affairs provoked the discontent of the demos throughout Greece, since then it was believed that only foreigners could be slaves, but by no means Greeks.
The place of helots in Sparta
The land captured by the Spartans was divided between their families. Each of them received approximately the same sections, which were called claire (or Claire in Dorian). However, the family did not have the right to donate or sell them. Clair ownership is an inherent sign of civil rights for a group of ruling Spartans.
The Helots in the Spartan state were, as mentioned earlier, slaves and therefore they worked and lived on land belonging to the Spartans, who, in turn, were engaged only in military affairs.
Helots lived in small villages located throughout the country. They were engaged in the cultivation of bread and vegetables, olives, grapes, and also raised livestock, brought to Sparta all the necessary products for the Spartans.
Helots were paid to the owner of the plot on which they lived a natural quitrent, which was a certain amount of agricultural products. According to rough estimates, this very quitrent amounted to about half of the total harvested crop. A law was passed that stated that the owner of the land had no right to take in excess of the established norm.
Helot is "captured" in translation from the Greek language. These people were not given the right to freely move around the country that previously belonged to their ancestors. However, they could start families and received payment for their labor. Each of the helots was not the property of any particular Spartan, but of the entire state as a whole. The owner of the plot to which the helots were attached did not have the right to sell or take their life.
The Spartans, however, treated their helot-slaves rather cruelly and rudely, mocking them. Their situation was rather difficult. Therefore, the helots tried to revolt. To avoid this, the government of Ancient Sparta often carried out kraptii - these are massacres. Destroyed those helots that were the most dangerous or unreliable. This mass extermination of the unarmed population was considered then as pre-war training for young Spartans.
Conclusion
Thus, helots were the lowest class in Ancient Sparta. They were severely limited in their rights when compared with the Spartans. They could not own weapons and serve in the army. The main task of the state was to keep all helots in obedience and fear. However, in the event of hostilities, the Helots were obliged to fight on the side of Sparta.