History and Rise To Power
The Spartans had early conquered much of the Peloponnese and incorporated the territory into the enlarged Sparta state. Spartan society functioned within three classes: homoiois or spartiates, perioeci, and the helots. The helots were captives of war and were state-owned slaves of Sparta. The helots powered the city-state’s agrarian economy and were the work force. Additionally, the other class of working population in Spartan society were the perioeci meaning “dwellers around” who were free peoples of conquered territories. The perioeci were allowed to maintain their own infrastructures, administrative arrangements and local economy, but had to pay tribute to Sparta and provide soldiers for the military. The homoios were the citizens of Sparta. They were the elite class and were the only deserving of the title Spartan. As a result, the Spartan population was very small in comparison with the working classes. There was a ratio of 7 or 8 helots to every Spartan citizen. These three populations performed complementary functions that distinguished Sparta with a unique economic and social organization. While the helots and the perioeci were the workforce in agriculture and industry, the Spartans could devote themselves to training, maintaining, and operating the military. The reason for the continual strong military existence was to preserve order in Sparta and hold the large enslaved populations in check.
Read more about this topic: Spartan Hegemony
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)