What is a Polis?

1.Asty + chora= polis

• Asty: city proper, urban core
• Chora: region, district; the agricultural hinterland that surrounded a polis

2.Common features

• Agora, marketplace
• Temples
• A building or a public area where the public life of the polis was played out in more formal senses
• Entertainment facilities; theaters, stadiums
• Fortifications

A mythical lawgiver, Lycurgus, on the command of the gods, gave Sparta a constitution ca. 750 B.C.

Theseus: Athenian Lawgiver

Numa Pompilius: Roman Lawgiver

The Spartan System

1.Social classes

• Homoioi: "the equals", all adult Spartan males (above the age of 18)
• Periokoi: "dwellers about"; resident aliens
• Helots: state slaves; the conquered Messenians

2.Institutions

• Two kings
• Two deliberative councils;

-The assembly: An assembly of direct participation by all the equals

-The council: The kings, five ephors, and all equals above the age of 60

-Ephors: Five overseers; inspectors

-Krypteia: Spartan secret police

3.The agoge; training, upbringing, "leading along"

• Babies inspected at birth, and returned to their parents at age 7
• Boys enrolled in military brotherhoods
• From 7 to 18, rigorous physical and military training
• From 18 to 20, service in Krypteia
• Marriage not companionate