The ancient Greco-Roman world was a world of cities, not in the modern sense of massive urban conglomerates, but in the distinctive sense of communities that embraced the surrounding countryside.

Interest in the special relationship of town and country in the ancient world goes back to Max Weber and beyond. Now available in paperback, this collection of essays by influential archaeologists and historians seeks to bring together the two disciplines in exploring the city-country relationship and its impact on social, political, economic, and cultural conditions in classical antiquity.

Topics include the rise of the polis in ancient Greece, the economic and cultural role of city elites in Asia Minor, Spain and Britain, and the role of taxation in subordinating country to town. Amply illustrated, the book offers new research into a variety of areas and opens a familiar subject to fresh approaches. It will interest professional archaeologists and historians as well as students and the general reader.