Thucydides Accuracy Of The Helots In Ancient Sparta

It has been said that Sparta had two separate histories, its own and that of its image abroad...Considering how much was written about Sparta in antiquity, it is remarkable how confused, contradictory and incomplete the picture is. Partly this is because the mirage is constantly cutting across the reality, distorting it and often concealing it altogether; and partly because the Spartans themselves were so completely silent.With respect to our knowledge of the helots in ancient Sparta, how accurate do you believe this statement to be? Support your position by discussing the primary sources available on ancient Sparta.

It is accurate to say that many ancient writers recorded works associated with ancient Sparta. Very few of these works were recorded by Spartans or those who had any first hand experience of the city or contact with the people early in Spartan history when the helot class originated and when their role and treatment was being moulded. Those that did, such as Xenophon and Tyrtaeus, were written from the perspective of the most powerful class in Spartan society, the military Spartiates. For these reasons it is entirely accurate to claim that our evidence of Spartan society, and specifically the helot class, is distorted, incomplete and confused. Furthermore, it is accurate to assume that given these reasons the reality could be contradicted by the mirage or myths established by these writers.
Thucydides work focused on the war and on foreign relations with society and the helot class not being central to his work. Any evidence produced by Thucydides must be read in light of the fact that he greatly admired the Spartan system of controlling and suppressing the