The beginnings of the classical Greek city-states

In the eighth century B.C., Greece rebounded from the Dark Ages, entering a period called the Archaic Age of Greece. During this period, the best known Greek city-states (Athens, Sparta, and Thebes) had their beginnings.

Thebes was located north of Athens and Sparta, in a region of Boeotia. Boeotia was the breadbasket of Greece, renowned for its farms, rolling wheat fields, and orchards. Boeotia was also famous for its horses. which were valued throughout Greece.

As previously noted, the Greek city-state was rooted in the concept of the polis—a localized, miniaturized version of the nation-state. As might be expected, city-states did not huge populations. At its height in the fifth century B.C., Athens was home to about 250,000 people. The records of Alexander the Great indicate that Thebes was even smaller: probably around 40,000 people in 335 B.C.

If some people had had their way, the city-states would have been even smaller. The philosopher Plato speculated that the idea polis consisted of 5,000 citizens.

City planning and city-states

By the fifth century B.C., a standard layout of Greek cities had evolved. In the center of town was an elevated area, or acropolis. Temples, monuments and other ceremonial public structures were located here. Just below the acropolis was the agora. This was an open area that could be used for commercial activities and public gathering.

Most cities were surrounded by walls. City walls were a central aspect of polis defense policy in ancient Greece.

Citizenship in an ancient Greek polis conveyed various rights and obligations. A citizen could participate in the political life of the polis, although he might be subjected to restrictions based on age, prior military service, and the degree of representative government practiced in his city-state. The obligations side of the citizenship equation included military service, taxes (of course) and adherence to the laws and norms of the polis, which often varied considerably from place to place. (As we will see later, for example, citizenship in Athens was a very different proposition than citizenship in Sparta.)

Residency was by no means equivalent to citizenship. The polis typically bestowed citizenship only on adult males. The might be additional requirements, such being the second or third generation born in the polis. Children, women, and resident aliens had no political rights. Moreover, slavery was practiced in ancient Greece; and slaves, of course, were not politically enfranchised.

The perceived bond between the citizen and the polis was as strong as most modern strains of nationalism. The Greek philosopher Aristotle summed up the bond between the citizen and the polis as follows: “The polis exists by nature; and men by nature, are creatures of the polis….We must regard every citizen as belonging to the state.”



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	The beginnings of the classical Greek city-states In the eighth century B.C., Greece rebounded from the Dark Ages, entering a period called the Archaic Age of Greece. During this period, the best known Greek city-states (Athens, Sparta, and Thebes) had their beginnings. Thebes was located north of Athens and Sparta, in a region of Boeotia. Boeotia was the breadbasket of Greece, renowned for its farms, rolling wheat fields, and orchards. Boeotia was also famous for its horses. which were valued throughout Greece. As previously noted, the Greek city-state was rooted in the concept of the polis—a localized, miniaturized version of the nation-state. As might be expected, city-states did not huge populations. At its height in the fifth century B.C., Athens was home to about 250,000 people. The records of Alexander the Great indicate that Thebes was even smaller: probably around 40,000 people in 335 B.C. If some people had had their way, the city-states would have been even smaller. The philosopher Plato speculated that the idea polis consisted of 5,000 citizens. City planning and city-states By the fifth century B.C., a standard layout of Greek cities had evolved. In the center of town was an elevated area, or acropolis. Temples, monuments and other ceremonial public structures were located here. Just below the acropolis was the agora. This was an open area that could be used for commercial activities and public gathering. Most cities were surrounded by walls. City walls were a central aspect of polis defense policy in ancient Greece. How did the Greeks define citizenship in a polis? Citizenship in an ancient Greek polis conveyed various rights and obligations. A citizen could participate in the political life of the polis, although he might be subjected to restrictions based on age, prior military service, and the degree of representative government practiced in his city-state. The obligations side of the citizenship equation included military service, taxes (of course) and adherence to the laws and norms of the polis, which often varied considerably from place to place. (As we will see later, for example, citizenship in Athens was a very different proposition than citizenship in Sparta.) Residency was by no means equivalent to citizenship. The polis typically bestowed citizenship only on adult males. The might be additional requirements, such being the second or third generation born in the polis. Children, women, and resident aliens had no political rights. Moreover, slavery was practiced in ancient Greece; and slaves, of course, were not politically enfranchised. The perceived bond between the citizen and the polis was as strong as most modern strains of nationalism. The Greek philosopher Aristotle summed up the bond between the citizen and the polis as follows: “The polis exists by nature; and men by nature, are creatures of the polis….We must regard every citizen as belonging to the state.”