Question

Who where the helots

Answer 1

The Helots were state-owned serfs of the ancient Spartans.

Answer 2

The Helots were Slave Warriors of Ancient Sparta.

While they are considered as slaves, it has been pointed out that they were somehow different from other slaves in the neighbouring Greek city states.
It is claimed that in Athens, for instance, slaves did not have families and communities of their own. But The Helots, by contrast, had their own families and communities. Additionally, the Helots were not privately owned, but belonged to the state