Question

What were the political accomplishments of classical Greece? What was the significance of the polis? What happened to the polis during the Hellenistic period?

Answer 1

There were many political accomplishments of classical Greece. Like they created first democracy in the world. They were the first people to take the scientific approach to medicinal field. The rules of Geometry and Mathematics were also designed by them. First magnificent buildings and sculptures were created by them.

I believe the significance of the polis may be similar to our landmarks that that reside in different countries etc. The polis was a structure of community amongst the ancient Greek world and it controlled a surrounding territory of land. An individual was independent from other individuals and institutions. Each polis was basically a state as the the word polis means city-state. The were free to involve in other states even non Greek states in relation to trade and other political issues.

In the Hellenistic Age the political freedom of most poleis was curtailed, since they came under the ascendancy of the large territorial monarchies of Macedonian origin. But they continued to manage local affairs, and some, such as Athens, remained flourishing intellectual centres. The Hellenistic kings founded numerous new cities, bringing in Greek and Macedonian settlers who Hellenized part of the local population; in this way the institutions characteristic of the polis spread through much of the Middle East.