What are the main features of a polis?

Answer 1

A polis is a Greek city-state. Instead of having a united country, the Greeks were divided into large, independent cities with their own governments and people. Some of the more famous poleis are Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Thebes, and Argos. Poleis were originally ruled by heredity kings. As these kings became unpopular, they were often overthrown by tyrants. Although usurpers to the throne that were considered illegitimate, they were often very popular because they ended the corrupt monarchies. After tyrannies, other forms of government, like democracies and oligarchies formed. The average polis was usually built around a hill. At the top of the hill was the acropolis, a heavily-protected fort that doubled as a temple to the local patron god. A polis also often featured an agora, or public market. The agora served both economic and political needs, where both goods and ideas were exchanged. Outside of the city walls was an area called the chora. The chora included poor housing and farmlands, areas that could be abandoned in case of an invasion. As a root word, Polis finds many meanings. It is the root of police, politics, metropolis, and policy. It can be found in many cities in the Old World, such as Heliopolis (Egypt) and Persepolis (Iran), but also several modern cities: Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and Annapolis feature the same root word.