Topic > Development of Greek Poleis - 960

The polis emerged from the scattered villages of ancient Greece, as a way to build unified states and centralize government. The establishment of the Greek poleis was a significant political innovation throughout history because it gave rise to new systems of government that became models of modern state structure. It was characterized by its ability to unite citizens and, through this, led to the growth of larger states such as Athens and Sparta. Within the poleis were constitutions, developed together with the aim of creating a unified system of government for each state. Furthermore, this new form of government allowed citizens to participate more in political and social issues, which had not happened in previous ruling powers. Therefore, both the development of the constitution and the introduction of a new political structure influenced and changed the nature of the state. The first Greek poleis served as a way to unite citizens under a centralized government. Under Athenian and Spartan rule, people had more rights and opportunities within society, which were governed by a pre-established constitution. The constitution or politeia operated within individual poleis to identify ideas and values ​​that distinguished one city-state from another. For example, in Sparta, the Rhetra served as the foundation for how society was structured. This was a set of laws established and implemented by Lykourgos, which formed the new system of government through a combination of different elements from all the politeiai; namely oligarchy, monarchy and democracy. Rhetra played a role in regulating the process of making laws and policies, and also in governing education...... middle of paper ......is, as it ensured an even distribution of power and rights. The rise of the poleis brought a new social and political idea. Through state reform, each polis developed its own constitution that dictated the structure of its government and citizens. Within this new structure, greater political opportunities have arisen for citizens, strengthening their sense of citizenship towards the city through greater contributions. The first forms of democracy arose through Athens, and in Sparta military force became their dominant feature. In both cases, the citizens were united in pursuit of common goals, which is why the rise of the first Greek poleis was successful. Thus the early poleis became a model for shaping the nature of the state, and it is the different factors resulting from the reforms that influenced the development of the state..