City-State
City-state, an independent, self-governing city and the territory dependent upon it and governed by it. Ancient Athens and Rome (before it established its empire) were city-states.
City-states began before written history. The citizens were bound together for common defense and through common religious practices. The city's fortification was usually a high place, such as the Acropolis in Athens or the Seven Hills of Rome. This height often came to be the religious and governmental center as well.
The Greek and Italian city-states were eventually swallowed up by the Roman Empire and lost their independence. City-states reappeared in the Middle Ages, when many Italian cities—such as Florence, Pisa, and Genoa—developed as independent states. The free cities of Germany, some of which remained independent until the 20th century, had some of the characteristics of city-states. The city-state disappeared with the rise of nations.