Ancient Greek city-state "polis" characteristics, related research and West Anatolian examples

The phenomena of urbanization and polis are considered as one of the most important reflections of ancient Greek culture. To the Greek polis is attributed both certain contents and a specific physical appearence. And in both cases, the question "what is a polis?" becomes crucial in discussions on urban character of the polis. Those who lived in a polis were according to research, free men with a complete set of civil rights, women and children dependent on them, metoikoi (i.e. foreign people in a city without civil rights) and slaves. In addition, the poleis were able to take desicions on political and economic issues, and the sanctuaries and the genealogical network among the citizens were facts which had great impact on the emergence of polis. The ancient written sources, especially the texts of Homer and Hesiodos, the descriptions in the archaic poetry are seen as leading components while defining the characteristica of the polis. The emergence of the phalanx army, the development of temples and sanctuaries, the development of philosophy and lyric poetry, all are seen in relation with the structure and meaning of polis. It is mostly suggested that these phenomena, which gave shape to ancient Greek culture, cannot be considered separately without the existence of the concept of polis and its urban environment. Besides, the developments in the Bronze Age were also influential in the process of emergence of polis. A central settlement, a surrounding area and a border zone of the periphery build up a tripartite picture for the polis. However, this arrangement of settlement cannot immediately be found in every single polis. Doubtlessly the developments following the eighth and seventh centuries BC, i.e. the early times of emergence of poleis led to obvious transformations in the charcteristics of polis. In the scholarship essentially prevail debates on these early stages.