TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > History > The ancient city: a centre of administration and a way of life
- Flourishing cities on sites of ancient cities – only come to an end in a special sense – characteristics of Graeco-Roman city; architecture, sculpture town planning, literary ad intellectual tradition
- Cities essentially political and administrative centres – Roman times run by curiales, decursions, bouleutai - needed a council to be a city, membership for rich and in practice hereditary.
- Classical cities a means to living a particular kind of good life. Aristotle man a political animal (city or polis) and city designed for such a purpose; town planning, political institutions, art, entertainment, festivals – more than aesthetics – rituals helped to unite social groups within city, city to territory and territory to empire.
- Politics concern of fewer and fewer people but aesthetic-architectural definition of the city – rectangular street plans wide public spaces, impressive public buildings, festivals, entertainments and baths flourished. Romans adopted Greek ideal and spread it to areas where it was unknown western Europe and Balkans.
- Consolidation of Roman empire saw great expansion of the classical city – well-to-do city provided amenities and position of power. Romans gained as large cities administered large territory and reduced need for a civil service. Temples, assembly places and mansions built. Financed by voluntary or semi-voluntary munificence, this and Roman tax collecting expensive but legitimised power in terms of poorer elements – maintenance admin maintenance political status quo.
- Peak in early 3rd century – level of munificence never reached same level. Crisis of 3rd century marks beginning of late antiquity.
- 3r century development was splitting of empire into West and East – urbanization had made them more alike but diverged more in 3rd century. City developments not divergent but out of step and similar pattern to 80 – justifies single phenomenon.
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