politês

Polítês (plural: polítai) is the Ancient Greek term for a citizen of a city-state (polis). The word literally designates an individual who belongs to the formal political community of a polis and has both rights and duties within that community. In classical Greek usage, polítai were typically adult male residents who participated in political life; women, slaves, and many resident aliens did not hold this status in most city-states.

Etymology and meaning: The term derives from polis, the city, with a suffix that marks a person belonging to or associated with something. In Greek, the singular is polírēs? The standard form is polítēs, with the plural polítai. The concept encompasses membership in the governing body of the polis and often entails eligibility to vote, hold public office, serve on juries, and participate in assemblies, as well as obligations such as military service and public taxation.

Rights and duties: The precise set of rights varied by city-state. In many poleis, polítai could participate in elections, propose laws, speak in assemblies, and represent the polis in legal matters. They also bore duties like defending the city in war and maintaining civic norms. The degree of inclusion depended on local laws, property requirements, and lineage.

Variations and limitations: Citizenship was not universal. In Athens, for example, the status was restricted and subject to rules about parentage; reforms in the late 5th century BCE narrowed citizenship to those born of two Athenian parents. Other poleis had different structures; in Sparta, full civic status was largely limited to the Spartiates, with broader, lesser rights for other groups.

Legacy: The concept influenced later discussions of citizenship and political participation in the Greek world and beyond, and it underpins terms such as politeia (constitution) and political theory in classical literature.