A polis was a city-state - a population group with an area of agricultural land, fresh water, often a port, and a fortified hill (acropolis), around which a city grew up. Each city was independent, and often at odds with its neighbours. Each developed its own form of government, developed cultural activities, and often sent surplus population to form new polis in other parts of the Mediterranean and Black Seas.
The Greek word polis (plural poleis) meant a city-state, but more specifically the group of people who formed a single political entity.
Hellenistic cities differed from traditional Greek poleis primarily in their cosmopolitan character and administrative structures. While Greek poleis were often small, self-governing city-states focused on local governance and community identity, Hellenistic cities, founded after Alexander the Great's conquests, were larger and more diverse, blending Greek culture with local traditions. These cities typically featured centralized governance under royal authority, extensive urban planning, and a greater emphasis on trade and cultural exchange, reflecting their role as hubs of the broader Hellenistic world.
a city and the agricultural lands surrounding it
The Greek term "polis", meaning "city", may be utilized diversely in a sentence, usually most properly in italics or with (single or double) quotation marks to denote its foreign origin. Thus, one example sentence would be as follows: "In the ancient world, the 'polis' served as the basic political unit for Greek civilizations."
in comparison with the world of the polis, Hellenistic civilization was
It was an important part of greek life because it had the art and practices of the government. Polis gave rise to the term politics and it was the framework of Greek Life. Each city-state had a different kind of government.
The early greek city-state, consisting of a city or town and its surrounding territory. Polis is described as city in Greek. Also known in Ancient Greek as city-state, it could also mean citizenship and body of citizens. You had to be born in to citizenship by naturalization otherwise you could be shut out of democracy. This being a new concept of the ancient world which demonstrates culture might be universal to the greeks.
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.
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.
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.
The geography of the Aegean world, characterized by numerous islands, rugged coastlines, and mountains, significantly influenced Greek society by fostering the development of independent city-states (poleis). These natural barriers encouraged local governance and cultural variations, leading to diverse political systems and customs. The sea facilitated trade and maritime activities, connecting various regions and promoting economic exchange, while also shaping Greek mythology and lifestyle centered around naval prowess. Overall, the Aegean geography created a fragmented but interconnected landscape that was crucial to the identity and development of ancient Greece.
It means to set an example to others about being polite. because it originally means kind and nice but the root polis-city comes into polite because being kind and nice should set something for the whole world (city).