Just like the phrase Res Publica, Politeia is another important term you should know. The word originates in Ancient Greece. Further, the base of the word is polis. Though polis formerly meant city. Today, we translate it as a city-state. City-states were very common at the time. Consequently, politeia described how the city-state worked.
It is possible to translate this word in several ways. Firstly, the Merriam-Webster dictionary translates it as “constitution.” However, versions such as “citizenship” or “form of government” are also usual. That is how Aristotle understands the word. We recommend reading his Politics!
Nevertheless, some Roman scholars, including Cicero, see it as a synonym to Res Publica. You see, Res Publica is in Latin, the language of Rome. And on the other hand, Politeia is in Greek. Furthermore, Plato’s The Republic is called Politeia in Greek and Res Publica in Latin!
