Polis
Polis (pl.: poleis) is a term used to refer to Ancient Greek city-states. About 1,500 such states are known to have existed. Primarily located in Greece & Asia Minor, Greek poleis were founded throughout the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions.
The word polis had a different meaning in Ancient Greek than it does in Modern Greek. The Modern Greek word πόλη (póli), "city", is located within a χώρα (chóra), "country", which is a πατρίδα (patrída) or "homeland" for its citizens. In ancient Greece, a polis was also considered to be a "homeland." Poleis had their own constitutions and demanded loyalty from their citizens.
The ancient Greek world was split between homeland regions and colonies. Particularly during the Archaic, poleis sent out settlers to found new colonies, which would maintain economic, cultural, and military ties with the "mother-city" for centuries afterwards. Colonization was the main method of spreading Greek poleis and culture.
Ancient Greek writers also used the term polis to refer to non-Greek settlements. For example, Aristotle's study of the polis also discussed Carthage, a Phoenician city, in comparing its constitution with Sparta's. Many nominally Greek colonies also included large non-Greek populations, such as the Sicels in Syracuse.
Similar Artists