The Cryptia

The cryptia was a secret police force used to keep the Helots in line through regular murder. They were sent out barefoot armed with knives into the countryside and they would seek out the strongest and smartest of the Helots, their slaves. The cryptia seemed to have been like a dedicated guerrilla army meant to suppress dissent against the ruling class by doing violence to the impoverished majority who produced all of Sparta's value.