Penestae

Penestae ( πενέστης, Pl πενέσται, poor people ) were in ancient Thessaly members of a social class of tenant farmers. Its social role, roughly equivalent to the Helots in Sparta, but the Penestae enjoyed greater freedom than this. Pollux describes her position as a cross between free and slave.

The Penestae were the original inhabitants of the Thessalian landscape that were conquered by the invading later Thessalians.

The term derives from πενέσθαι ( penestai ) work, serve, be poor or needy.