Vocabular and Definitions
This ancient Greek word refers to an independent city-state, usually composed of a town or small city and its surrounding farmlands.
What is a polis?
In ancient Greek city-states, power in a democracy was held and shared exclusively by this group of people.
Who are male citizens?
According to Greek belief, the gods lived atop this mountain but would occasionally come down to influence human affairs.
What is Mount Olympus?
Most Greek city-states were located along the shores of this sea.
What is the Aegean Sea?
Most Greek city-states had a population of no more than this many people.
What is 20,000?
Meaning "rule of the best," this form of government places power in the hands of a few noble upper-class families.
What is an aristocracy?
Unlike kings who inherited their throne legally, this type of leader seized power illegally.
What is a tyrant?
He was considered the chief god of the Greek pantheon.
Who is Zeus?
These two large and powerful city-states had one of the greatest rivalries in ancient Greece.
What are Athens and Sparta?
A regional variety of a language, which varied among Greek city-states even though everyone spoke Greek, is known by this term.
What is a dialect?
Derived from a word meaning "rule of the few," this type of government is controlled by a small group of both aristocratic and wealthy non-aristocratic families.
What is an oligarchy?
In the early history of most Greek city-states, they were initially ruled by these inherited rulers before adopting other government systems by 500 BCE.
Who are kings (or monarchies)?
This Greek fresco depicting a bull-leaping activity was discovered on the island of Crete.
What is "The Toreador"?
A typical Greek city-state generally covered roughly this many square miles.
What is a hundred or so square miles?
The art of governing a polis or state comes from this Greek-derived word.
What is politics?
The word for this modern professional who helps preserve order in a state is derived from the Greek word polis.
What is a police officer?
Some tyrants gained popularity among ordinary citizens because they opposed this group and helped the poor.
Who are the rich / wealthy?
This sculpted wall decoration on the Parthenon in Athens depicts an Assembly of the Gods, including Poseidon, Apollo, and Artemis.
What is a frieze?
Ancient Greek city-states were scattered beyond modern-day Greece, reaching southern Italy, northern Africa, the Black Sea, and this peninsula in southwestern Asia (present-day Turkey).
What is Asia Minor?
In addition to worshipping central gods like Zeus, almost all city-states also worshipped a handful of these.
What are local gods (or local heroes)?
The Greeks referred to non-Greek speakers using this term, derived from bárbaros, because their foreign tongues sounded like meaningless babble.
What are "barbarians"?
In ancient Greece, this governing body of citizens was responsible for making laws.
What is the Assembly?
Name the three things mentioned in the text that all Greek city-states shared in common despite being politically independent.
What are language (Greek), religion (same gods/myths), and athletic competitions (like the Olympic Games)?
The primary political disadvantage of the independent city-state model was this condition, which made it easier for foreign countries to invade.
What is a lack of unity / frequent wars among city-states?
While alliances among city-states tended to be short-lived, these between city-states tended to be long-lasting.
What are rivalries?