Final answer:
The Spartans capturing and enslaving neighboring people as helots is a clear example of social classes within ancient Spartan society. The Spartan military oligarchy maintained absolute control over a larger population of serfs, emphasizing the social inequalities and importance of class distinction.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Ancient Greece, Spartans capturing neighboring people and forcing them to become helots or slaves exemplifies the big idea of social classes. The societal structure of Sparta was characterized by a military hierarchy, where only a small percentage were Spartan soldiers overseeing a much larger population of helots. This control extended to the right of killing helots at will, indicating a rigid social stratification based on subjugation and exploitation.
The Spartan society operated as a sort of military oligarchy, with a strict societal order maintaining their power over a large number of helots who were essentially serfs. This exploitation of the helots was a consequence of early Spartan conquests and the refusal to offer any form of political representation to these subjects. The helots were an integral part of the Spartan economy, and their status as forced laborers underlines the importance of social class distinction in ancient Sparta.