Was each city state run by a king?

Answer 1

Not every city-state was run by a king; governance varied widely among ancient city-states. For instance, in ancient Greece, many city-states like Athens were democratic, while others like Sparta had dual kingships. In Mesopotamia, city-states often had rulers known as kings, but their authority was sometimes limited by councils or assemblies. Thus, the political structures of city-states were diverse and not uniformly monarchical.