The Spartiates were the full Spartan citizens who owned land and controlled Sparta’s political system.
Spartiates, also called Homoioi or “Equals,” formed the small citizen elite at the center of ancient Spartan society. They were expected to complete the agoge, participate in communal dining, and maintain military readiness. Political rights, including participation in the assembly, were tied to this citizen status.
The Spartiates depended heavily on the labor of helots, who cultivated the agricultural land that supported the citizen class. Perioikoi were free inhabitants of surrounding communities, but they lacked full Spartan citizenship. The citizen body therefore represented only a minority of the people living in Spartan-controlled territory.
The term “Spartans” can be used broadly for inhabitants of the Spartan state, but “Spartiates” is the more precise term for full citizens. Their declining numbers became a major concern in later Spartan history, especially after military losses and economic change reduced the citizen population.