Contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t slaves who built the pyramids. We know this because archaeologists have located the remains of a purpose-built village for the thousands of workers who built the famous Giza pyramids, nearly 4,500 years ago.

sciencefocus.com/…/were-the-egyptian-pyramids-bui…

While I think the evidence they cite is rather weak it’s well agreed upon that the workers were paid and enjoyed elevated status in society