sparta reconsidered

Sparta's Complex and prosperous Economy

Lacedaemon was one of the richest city-states in ancient Greece.

The Spartan economy was dependent not on chattel slaves, as were the other Greek city-states, but on the non-Doric population of Laconia and the subject population of Messenia.  These were divided into free but non-citizen perioikoi and semi-free, serf-like helots.