The second pillar was “autonomy.”Autonomy, is originally a Greek word, which consists of the two words “self ” and “law,” meant that the citizens were actively participating in government, and that they were ruled by laws that they had created themselves. Even in cases of tyranny, the tyrant had the public support most of the times.
The third pillar was autarky, in the highest possible extent. Autarky exists whenever an entity can survive or continue its activities without external assistance. Autarky, originally a Greek word too, consists of the two words “self ” and “sufficient”. That meant that the city itself ought.
That of course could not happened in Greece’s small states, so they focused more on creating a surplus of the goods that they produced.
It was the third pillar, autarky, which would prove to be the most valuable when it comes to securing the survival of the polis.
The Ancient Greek understanding of self reliance, also known as autarky, differs from many modern conceptions. The polis sought economic freedom and prosperity so that it wouldn’t have to rely at all on neighbors politically.
Unlike more modern conceptions of national self reliance, this didn’t preclude trade. Historians observe economic specialization very early in the Greek city states. Each city had to offer something different ranging from agriculture to fishing to mining.
Rhodes was known for its wine, and so were Ionia, Lydia, Mendis. Akragas and Athens were famous for their olive oil and Cappadocia for its wool.
Later on, cities and ports specialized in services and small industries, encapsulating everything from pottery to banking.
This way the need for self sufficiency led to an extended trade network, and a free market among the cities. City states did not depend on other cities in a manner of servitude but traded freely as equals.
