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A city with its own government that rules the surrounding villages as well.

Ancient Greece had hundreds of city-states, the most powerful were Sparta and Athens.

Sparta and Athens were allied together against the Persians, but later went to war against each other. Sparta won, but less than a year later the cities of Greece threw off the Spartan yoke and regained independence.

The ancient Greeks built their cities around high hills that could be defended easily.

These hills became the center of the city and were known as the acropolis, which means "upper city."

As the city grew the acropolis also became a religious center5, in which temples, shrines and statues were built.

The Greek marketplace.

Usually the largest gathering place in the city.

Almost every Greek city had a theater.

The place where young Greek men practiced sports, such as boxing, jumping, racing, and throwing the javellin.

At first just an open field, later the Greeks built large gymnasiums around the sides of open courtyards.

Not all Greek cities had a stadium. The stadium was a long racing track, straight at one end, and rounded at the other.

The most famous ancient stadium was built in the town of Olympia, and had room for 40,000 people to watch the races.

Where the first Olympics took place in 776 B.C.

Helots were people from city states that Sparta conquered. They grew the food and did all work other than being a soldier.