Ancient Greek City States

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Though ancient Greek cities seemed to lie quiet for 400 years,

around 800 BC they began to thrive again. Eventually they

would extend their influence across the Mediterranean

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​Ancient Greek city-states established different

ways of governing as they gained power.

​As population, trade, and wealth grew, the ancient Greeks

built cities near coastlines for trade and on hilltops for defense.

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Each Greek city had its own personality, but shared certain similarities.

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​​The highest point in an ancient Greek city was the acropolis, or

upper city. ​This was the city's last line of defense against invasion.

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​From the acropolis, one could see houses and narrow

streets and easily spot the open space of the agora.

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The agora was the city's marketplace and

social center for sport, festivals, and meetings.

Powerful cities turned into city-states.

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​As you may recall, a city-state is an independent political unit in

which a dominant city rules the surrounding area - also called a polis

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​A number of Greek city-states emerged after 750 BC.

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​Some city-states grew larger than others because smaller towns and villages supplied food, trade goods, labor, and soldiers for the city state.

​Greek city-states were as different as they were independent.

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​Each city-state established it's own way of governing its citizens.

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​Monarchy: government ruled by a single person, such as a king.

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​Aristocracy: a government ruled by a small group of elite families.

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​​Aristocratic rule was challenged by a growing merchant class

​As trade expanded, the merchants became more powerful.

​The 600s saw increasing tensions involving aristocratic landowners and an uneven distribution of wealth - these tensions led to fighting and civil strife.

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​Powerful men took advantage of the situation and seized power as tyrants. Some tyrants were ruthless, but others made positive changes.

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​In order to take power from tyrants, merchants formed oligarchies, or governments ruled by a few powerful citizens.

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​​Eventually, some city-states, such as Athens, wanted to give citizens a greater voice and began to experiment with a new type of government.