The Role of Polis in Greek Civilization (Essay Sample)

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The Role of Polis in Greek civilization
Introduction
The polis is a name given to the Greek city states which emerged and developed during the classical era of Greek civilization. Burckhardt describes the poleis as “city communities, city states with body of laws” (5). Preston argues that “the polis was much more than a governmental system as it was a culture built around expansion of human intellect- through architecture, drama and mathematics” (1). The polis is “the definitive form of the Greek state, a small independent state comprising of central city and surrounding territory” (Burckhardt 6).
The polis played a vital role in Greek civilization because the Greek culture first assumed its classical form in the polis (Jaeger & Highet 77). This paper explores the role of the polis in Greek civilization. The polis is probably the center stage of Greek civilization. To understand the role of the polis in Greek civilization, it is important to know how it emerged.
Emergence of the Polis
The Greek polis tresses its roots back to the Paleolithic Epoch when man began to expand his capability to live in groups (Preston 1). The initial city states were in form of bands which were made up of approximately one hundred people and finally became city states. The agrarian and the bronze ages accelerated the development of the polis. During the ages, there was stable supply of food and specialization emerged. As a result, man’s life became more complex and some form of government came up. “Greek culture caused settlements to be isolated in a way that set the stage for the polis to evolve” (Preston 1). The poleis grew rapidly because they became economic and agrarian centers.
The Role of the Polis in Greek civilization
“Greek culture assumed its classical form in the polis… spiritual leadership of the Greece culture was taken over by the culture of the city states” (Jaeger and Highet 77). Greek history in the classical epoch focuses mostly on the polis. Jaeger & Highet observes that “the classical era is the most important period of Greek’s development making it the center of historical interest” (77). Jaeger & Highet further notes that the “polis includes and defines every form of social and intellectual activity” (77). This makes the polis the most important aspect of Greek civilization.
The polis marked a change of the Greek culture from the initial culture which was practiced in the rural villages to a modern culture. The inhabitants of the polis were considered to be free people. Burckhardt observes that the polis was viewed as a community of free men, metics, and the masses of slaves did not enjoy political rights (12).
The polis was also important in the Greek culture because it served as an educative force. The way of life of the polis affected the behavior of the citizenry making them to completely change their culture. Burckhardt further observes that “the participation in state...