Rise of the Polis: What Happened
Between about 800 and 700 BC, a new kind of community took shape across Greece: the polis, or city-state. Each polis was an independent community made up of a central town, usually with a fortified hill called an acropolis and a public meeting place called an agora, together with the surrounding farmland and villages. Hundreds of them emerged, including Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Thebes and Argos, each with its own government, laws, army, coinage and patron gods. Most were small, and many had only a few thousand citizens. The polis grew out of the recovering population and economy of the late Dark Ages, and it shaped almost everything that followed in Greek history. It fostered a strong sense of citizenship, in which free men took part in public life, voted, served in the army and shared responsibility for their city. The same independence also meant constant rivalry and frequent wars between neighbors. The polis gave the world the idea of citizens governing themselves, and words like politics come directly from it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a polis?
A polis was an independent Greek city-state, made up of a central town and its surrounding farmland and villages. Each had its own government, laws, army, coinage and patron gods.
When did Greek city-states emerge?
Greek city-states emerged between about 800 and 700 BC, as the population and economy recovered after the Dark Ages. Hundreds of them appeared across Greece and its colonies.
What were the most important Greek city-states?
The most famous city-states were Athens and Sparta. Other important ones included Corinth, Thebes, Argos, Miletus and Syracuse, a Greek colony in Sicily.
What were an acropolis and an agora?
An acropolis was a fortified hill at the heart of a city, often home to temples. An agora was the public square where citizens met for business, politics and social life.
What words come from the Greek polis?
Words such as politics, policy, police and metropolis come from polis. The idea of citizens governing their own community is one of the most important legacies of the Greek city-state.
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