The Distinction between “Polis” and “City” in Ancient Greece and Rome and the Importance of the Concept “Polis” in Understanding Contemporary Political Philosophy

Polis or The City is the subject of classical politics. By examining classical texts such as History of The Peloponnesian War by Thucydides, the Politics of Aristotle, and new researches such as The Ancient City of Fustel De Coulanges and Polis by Hansen, we come to an understanding of the difference between “The City” (Polis) and “city”; that can be effective in our knowledge of the fundamentals of modern politics. The City was the most comprehensive and supreme form of political society. The end of this community was happiness (eudaimonia), the most comprehensive and supreme good that a community can attain. Unlike a city, The City had a social and political identity, and it was bound to the civil-political discourse. One of the main features of The City was that its members were a participant in life, and the happiness of its people was interdependent. Another essential element of The City, which links it to phronesis, was its question-worthiness. This question-worthiness is to show how phronesis or polis remained open to a critic. A rethinking of the concepts of Polis and phronesis and their relation today can provide an opportunity to reflect on the foundations of self-criticism, without being trapped in dogmatism. Furthermore, reflection on concepts such as polis is an opportunity to understand the roots of the Western democratic tradition and to achieve a deeper understanding of the institutions and values ​​that maintain Western culture.