Classical Greek Slave Economy: Athens and Sparta (6th–4th century BCE)

1. Sparta conquers Messenia and expands helotage

   Jan 1, 724 BCELabels: Sparta, Messenia, Helotage

   • Britannica
   • First War

2. Second Messenian War reinforces Spartan control

   Jan 1, 660 BCELabels: Second Messenian, Sparta

   • Second War
   • Britannica

3. Solon ends Athenian debt bondage reforms

   Jan 1, 594 BCELabels: Solon, Athens

   • Britannica
   • Seisachtheia

4. Cleisthenes reforms citizenship and Athenian democracy

   Jan 1, 508 BCELabels: Cleisthenes, Athenian democracy

   • Britannica

5. Laurion silver windfall boosts slavery-linked mining

   Jan 1, 483 BCELabels: Laurion silver, Athens

   • PBS Greeks
   • Laurion

6. Sparta’s 464 BCE earthquake triggers major helot revolt

   Jan 1, 464 BCELabels: Sparta, Helot revolt

   • Britannica
   • 464 quake

7. Athens develops public slavery in civic administration

   Jan 1, 450 BCELabels: Public slaves, Athens

   • Cambridge
   • Demosioi

8. Athenian war policy includes mass enslavements

   Jan 1, 427 BCELabels: Athens, Peloponnesian War

   • Mytilene

9. Athenian oligarch criticizes slave freedoms in naval economy

   Jan 1, 425 BCELabels: Old Oligarch, Athenian navy

   • Old Oligarch

10. Decelea occupation sparks large-scale slave flight from Athens

    Jan 1, 413 BCELabels: Decelea occupation, Athens

    • Decelea
    • Laurion

11. Xenophon proposes reviving Laurion revenues with state slaves

    Jan 1, 355 BCELabels: Xenophon, Laurion mines

    • Poroi
    • Springer

12. Aristotle formulates “natural slavery” arguments

    Jan 1, 350 BCELabels: Aristotle, Natural slavery

    • Aristotle
    • Natural slavery