acropolis

See also: Acropolis, acrópolis, and Acrópolis

English

From Ancient Greek ἀκρόπολις (akrópolis), from ἄκρος (ákros, “topmost”, “tip”, “summit”) + πόλις (pólis, “city”).[1]

acropolis (plural acropolises or acropoleis)

A promontory (usually fortified with a citadel) forming the hub of many Grecian cities, and around which many were built for defensive purposes before and during the classical period; compare Acropolis.
- 1850, Karl Otfried Müller and John Leitch (translator), Ancient Art and Its Remains; or, A Manual of the Archæology of Art‎, page 146:
  The Etruscans, then, appear in general as an industrious people ( φιλότεχνον ἔθνος), of a bold and lofty spirit of enterprise, which was greatly favoured by their priestly aristocratic constitution. Massive walls, mostly of irregular blocks, surround their cities (not merely their acropoleis); the art of protecting the country from inundations by the construction of canals, and outlets from lakes, was very zealously practised by them.

promontory of Ancient Greek cities