### id282225760 Ancient Greek anti-slavery sentiments existed > It is possible that the revolt of 464 began to spur some anti-slavery sentiment in ancient Greece, although this debate gained much more traction in the 4th century. Alkidamas' 'Messenian Oration' argued for the release of the Messenians (Arist. *Rhet*. [1373b](https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0060%3Abekker+page%3D1373b)), and Aristotle records the existence of a school of thought that all men were equal and thus slavery was unnatural (Arist. *Pol*. [1253b.20](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0058%3Abook%3D1%3Asection%3D1253b)). > > Euripides is one ancient Greek who may possibly have expressed something akin to anti-slavery statements, or at least something that may have appeared radical at the time. In his *Hekuba* he condemns slavery generally ([332-3](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0098%3Acard%3D299)), and in *Ion* he stressed the equality of man ([854-6](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0110%3Acard%3D836)). > > Slavery is a very difficult topic to actually get as close to a contemporary understanding as we can, mainly due to the sources. Aristotle, for example, is ardently pro-slavery, but he may have been a ruthless slave master, his views not shared by the many. Alternatively, Euripides' statements about the equality of man might have been controversial among his Athenian audience. - [View Highlight](https://reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/p13hr6/do_we_know_about_any_escaped_spartan_helots/hv5d1tk?__readwiseLocation=0%2F0%2F0%2F4%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F2%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F4%2F1%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A0%2C0%2F2%2F0%2F4%2F2%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F2%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F4%2F1%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A379#:~:text=It%20is%20possible%20that%20the%2Ccontroversial%20among%20his%20Athenian%20audience.) - [[Do we know about any escaped spartan helots AskHistorians by Interesting Inquirer#id282225760 Ancient Greek anti-slavery sentiments existed|View in Vault]]