A serf or slave in ancient Sparta, or more broadly, any person in a condition of servitude or subjugation.
From Greek 'heilotes,' possibly derived from 'helotos' (captive). Historically, helots were conquered peoples enslaved by Spartans, and the term came to symbolize the harshest forms of bondage.
Spartan helots outnumbered free citizens by as much as 7 to 1, yet remain surprisingly absent from popular history—their invisible servitude literally built Spartan military power, showing how oppression has always been structural.
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