Understanding Ancient Greek City-States

Misconceptions About Ancient Greece

• Common belief: Greece was a singular empire
• Reality: Ancient Greece was a collection of independent city-states (poleis)

What is a Polis?

• Polis (plural: poleis): Greek word for city
  • Each polis was a city-state, a self-governing entity
• Over 1,000 poleis existed across the Mediterranean
• notable poleis: Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Thebes, Rhodes, Ephesus, etc.
• Structure of a Polis:
  • Asty: Central city
  • Khôra: Surrounding area including farms, harbors
  • Agora: Central public space
  • Acropolis: Fortified citadel (e.g., Acropolis of Athens)

Political and Social Structure

• Independent governments: democratic, oligarchic, tyrannical
• Own minted coins & colonies
• Concept of citizenship originated here
  • Citizenship Levels:
    • Free men: born to citizen parents; could vote, run for office, bear arms
    • Women: full legal rights, no political rights
    • Metics: Foreign citizens with full legal rights but limited political rights
    • Slaves: Non-liberated had no rights; liberated might become metics

Greek Culture & Tribes

• Common Hellenic culture, language, and religion
• Major Greek Tribes:
  • Achaeans: From Achaea, Peloponnese
  • Aeolians: From Thessaly, moved to Aegean islands
  • Dorians: From Southern and Western Greece (e.g., Sparta)
  • Ionians: Most widespread, in Attica, Euboea, Western Anatolia (e.g., Athens)
• Dialects: Western, Central, Eastern Greek
• Post-Macedonian conquest: Spread of Koine Greek

Inter-polis Relationships and Wars

• Frequent competition and war among the poleis
• Persian Involvement:
  • 540s BC: Persians expanded into Anatolia
  • Greco-Persian Wars: Led to formation of Delian League
    • Delian League: Military alliance led by Athens
      • Members paid tribute in gold, ships, grain
      • Initially met in Delos; treasury later moved to Athens
    • Peloponnesian Wars: Between Athenian Delian League and Spartan Peloponnesian League
      • Outcome: Collapse of Delian League
    • Not all Greek city-states fought Persia; some stayed neutral, others sided with Persia

Comparative Context

• Greeks not unique in city-state structure
• Phoenicians: Similar structure with city-states in Lebanon, colonies around Mediterranean
• Mesopotamia: Ancient cities often independent city-states
• Not maintaining an empire could be economically advantageous
  • e.g., early Rome before becoming an empire