Greek city-state
Sparta, for example
A Greek city-state was an independent political unit in ancient Greece consisting of a city and its surrounding territory.
Called a *polis* in Greek, these self-governing communities—Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Thebes—had their own laws, armies, and governments.
The concept is foundational to Western political thought: Democracy originated in the Greek city-states.
- hopliteAncient Greek heavy infantry
- citizen soldierCivilian who serves militarily
- acropolisFortified hilltop in antiquity
- philosophyStudy of fundamental truths
- democracyRule by the people
oligarchy · constitution · agora · public square · citizenship · phalanx · trade routes · wine trade · festivals · mythology · temples · aristocracy · ostracism · trireme · sea power · agriculture · olive oil · currency
- Greek archaeologyacropolis, Mycenae, agora, Knossos, excavations
Greek city-stateempire
Domain under unified control
Persian Empire · Roman Empire · kingdom · nation-state · federation
Greek city-statePersian Empire
Ancient Iranian imperial dominion
ancient Egypt · Assyrian Empire · Babylonian Empire · tributary state · satrapy
polity, metropolitan, cosmopolitan, city, cities, citywide, cityscape, state, states