The Helots were the peoples who
inhabited the lands of Messenia which neighboured Sparta. Messenia was conquered by the
Spartans in 640-620 BC. The Spartans relied heavily on the Helots for survival, so if somebody killed or injured a Helot, it was a serious crime. Politically and legally, Helots had no rights at all. Sparta was free to rid or dispose of them whenever they wanted to. Helots were probably forbidden to go out at night to stop them from
plotting secretly against the Spartans. Groups of young Spartans crept
about in the dark night with knives, murdering any helots that they
found out doors. Sparta needed a fierce army to control the large number
of semi slaves, called helots, who produced all the food. The Spartan
always forced a slave revolution.