The economic activities of the perioikoi

The perioikoi represent, in many ways, the most mysterious element in the ancient Spartan state x). I wish here to take up only one aspect of their life, probably the most crucial one : their economic activities. The question is of obvious importance, given the special economy of Sparta, in which the part of the helots is well enough known. Did the Spartans rely on the perioikoi as well? When one comes to attempt an answer to this, one is met with a wide and bewildering range of statements. By far the most common view is that the perioikoi devoted themselves to industry and trade :