Greco-Roman Vocabulary

polis

A city-state in ancient Greece.

city-state

A city with political and economic control over the surrounding countryside

oligarchy

a small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution.

monarchy

A government ruled by a king or queen

democracy

a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.

tyranny

A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

Athens

A democratic Greek polis who accomplished many cultural achievements

Sparta

Greek city-state that was ruled by an oligarchy, focused on military, used slaves for agriculture, discouraged the arts

republic

A form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting

Greco-Roman

The cultural mixing of both ancient Greek and Roman traditions.

plebian

an ordinary citizen in the ancient Roman republic

patrician

In ancient Rome, a member of the privileged upper class.

governor

In ancient Rome, these were the leaders of captured territory.

empire

land with different territories and peoples under a single rule