### id282225718 Messenian forts helped Helots escape > This new polity of Messenians, the Messenians in exile, would be involved in the garrisoning of a fort in Spartan territory at Pylos throughout the Peloponnesian War. Similarly, the island of Kythera was garrisoned by Athenian troops. From these two locations, the Helots were encouraged to escape from Spartan control (Thuc. [5.14](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Thuc.+5.14&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0200)). The Helots who escaped, primarily via Pylos on the coast of Messenia, were settled in Kranioi (Thuc. [5.35](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Thuc.+5.14&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0200)). These Helots were then said to be involved in the encouragement of more Helots to escape (Thuc. [5.56](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Thuc.+5.56&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0200)). Another fort, similar to Pylos, was established on the coast of Lakonia, again to encourage the Helots to revolt, or at least escape (Thuc. [7.26](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Thuc.+7.26&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0200)). - [View Highlight](https://reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/p13hr6/do_we_know_about_any_escaped_spartan_helots/hv5d1tk?__readwiseLocation=0%2F7%2F0%2F4%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F4%2F1%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A0%2C8%2F0%2F4%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F4%2F1%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A0#:~:text=This%20new%20polity%20of%20Messenians%2C%2Cat%20least%20escape%20(Thuc.%207.26).) - [[Do we know about any escaped spartan helots AskHistorians by Interesting Inquirer#id282225718 Messenian forts helped Helots escape|View in Vault]]