Commando Howiezter
Banned
Except they didn't. There were plenty of Greek states that went over to Persians, mostly northern ones.
You are ignoring the periokoi who would be much better candidates for this new model army, considering they fought as hoplites anyway. There were attampts to integrate Helots into army later (mostly during peloponnesian war).
Mass emancipation is out of the question since everybody knew that whole economy and system relies on large number of Helots to work while Homoioi fight.
Besides, if Persians capture Sparta then they'll free Helots anyway so why would they fight for their former asters agaisnt people who fred them just then?
Not to mention that if Persians reach sparta they have pretty uch conquered Greece, making those greeks fight for them (or flee, like athenians were planning to do)
For emancipation, if you are wiped off the face of the earth who cares about farms?
I know some did, but the powerful ones didn't.
Periokoi, hmmmm-have to do some research on them.
Weelllll how about this-the traditional leaders are considered mad as they still remain aloof and won't let helots and periokoi fight even as the Persian menace is sweeping across Greece.( but not yet at Sparta ).
Persians will free the helots? Ok.... How about a Persian massacre / razing of a town? The stress of the additional fighting might be too much, or in response to Spartan attacks? Kinda hard to believe foreigners when they had just destroyed a whole town of your kin while simultaneously promising to free you.