### id282225568 Spartan Helots revolted otten > The Helots were notorious for their revolts. Aristotle tells us that the Helots were like an enemy constantly lying in wait for the Spartans (Arist. [Pol. 1269a](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0058%3Abook%3D2%3Asection%3D1269a)). Plato tells us that he thought that the numerous rebellions were the greatest flaw of Helotage as a system ([Laws 776c-777c](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0166%3Abook%3D6%3Apage%3D776)). Thucydides says that all Spartan policies have been governed by fear of the Helots ([4.80](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Thuc.+4.80&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0200)). Thucydides even claimed that fear of the Helots was one motivation for the Spartans to end the Archidamian War ([5.14](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0200%3Abook%3D5%3Achapter%3D14); [5.23](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0200%3Abook%3D5%3Achapter%3D23)) Of course, all these writers were writing with the benefit of hindsight, the greatest Helot revolts having happened prior to their careers. It is possible that Helotage had existed for several hundred years without any major incidents. - [View Highlight](https://reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/p13hr6/do_we_know_about_any_escaped_spartan_helots/hv5d1tk?__readwiseLocation=0%2F3%2F0%2F4%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F4%2F1%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A0%2C10%2F3%2F0%2F4%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F4%2F1%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F0%2F0%2F3%2F1%2F0%2F3%3A237#:~:text=The%20Helots%20were%20notorious%20for%2Cyears%20without%20any%20major%20incidents.) - [[Do we know about any escaped spartan helots AskHistorians by Interesting Inquirer#id282225568 Spartan Helots revolted otten|View in Vault]]