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''Koinon'' (, pl. Κοινά, ''Koina''), meaning "common thing", in the sense of "public", had many applications, some societal, some governmental. An abstract noun formed from the neuter of the adjective, koinos, "common", the koinon could mean any sort of organization. It had more than one meaning in the governmental sense.


Polis

One was a
polis Polis (: poleis) means 'city' in Ancient Greek. The ancient word ''polis'' had socio-political connotations not possessed by modern usage. For example, Modern Greek πόλη (polē) is located within a (''khôra''), "country", which is a πατ ...
or its
politeia ''Politeia'' ( πολιτεία) is an ancient Greek word used in Greek political thought, especially that of Plato and Aristotle. Derived from the word '' polis'' ("city-state"), it has a range of meanings from " the rights of citizens" to a " ...
, Latin
res publica ', also spelled ''rēs pūblica'' to indicate vowel length, is a Latin phrase, loosely meaning "public affair". It is the root of the ''republic'', and '' commonwealth'' has traditionally been used as a synonym for it; however, translations var ...
, "the public thing", or "
commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...
", as seen in the Athenian model. A polis, by definition, is a government of common concern rather than private, making it a
republic A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...
. The polis also functioned as a
federal state A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governing status of the c ...
with a politeia, or "constitution", which established citizenship. Citizens managed the state through elected magistracies and the assembly. These institutions, claiming supreme political power, directly performed their constitutional duties across executive, judicial, or legislative domains. While political theory had not yet conceptualized the three-branch system common in modern republics, the functions existed in various forms, including the military, law courts, and economic regulation.


Alliance

The focus of this article is on a concept that extends beyond the individual polis: the formation of alliances among various poleis. Groups of poleis with shared interests, such as building a strong military for offense or defense, might form alliances, like the Ionians who defended the Greek coast of Anatolia against incoming Iranians. In such cases, the concept of "the public thing" or commonwealth would be extended to the alliance itself. To differentiate the alliance from a single republic, an ethnic name might be used, such as "the alliance of the Ionians." The alliance was then "the common thing of the allies," as it is in Isocrates 14.21, where the allies are symmachoi ("fighters in common,"), and the alliance is a symmachia. The league was not strictly a "
federation A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a political union, union of partially federated state, self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a #Federal governments, federal government (federalism) ...
," as the member states guarded their independence jealously. Even so, in the Delian League, the most powerful state, Athens, managed to control the other states to such a degree as now to be called "the Athenian Empire." As the government of a league, a ''koinon'' encompassed functions like defense, diplomacy, economics, and religious practices among its member states. This association more closely resembled a confederation rather than a federal union, like the one Alexander created. Members of the alliance primarily contributed taxes, men, and equipment, rather than directly managing or issuing binding commands. Some examples follow. In
Epirus Epirus () is a Region#Geographical regions, geographical and historical region, historical region in southeastern Europe, now shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay ...
itself there had in ancient times existed the ''Koinon'' of the
Molossians The Molossians () were a group of ancient Greek tribes which inhabited the region of Epirus in classical antiquity. Together with the Chaonians and the Thesprotians, they formed the main tribal groupings of the northwestern Greek group. On t ...
. There was a Lacedaemonian League (κοινὸν τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων), centered on
Sparta Sparta was a prominent city-state in Laconia in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (), while the name Sparta referred to its main settlement in the Evrotas Valley, valley of Evrotas (river), Evrotas rive ...
and its old dominions for a period under Roman rule, and a ''Koinon'' of the Macedonians, also under Roman rule. In modern Greek history, during the
Greek War of Independence The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful war of independence by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire between 1821 and 1829. In 1826, the Greeks were assisted ...
, a local self-government termed ''Koinon'' was set up in the islands of Hydra, Spetses and Psara.


See also

* Symmachia (alliance) * List of ancient Greek alliances


Notes


References


External links

{{Authority control Greek words and phrases