The capital is not only a political center

In many Slavonic languages the word "capital" comes from the Old Slavonic "table", which means the place where the prince was located on a more or less permanent basis. In the Latin languages and languages of states within the Roman Empire, the designation of the main city dates back to the Latin word caput, which translates as "head" or "title". In any case, the capital is, above all, the center of the political life of the country.

Origin of the term

Since humanity moved to a settled way of life in permanent settlements, some cities began to stand out at the level of their development. This state of affairs existed in the pre-state era, as evidenced by excavations in the east of Turkey, where 12,000-year-old temple centers were found, which, according to archaeologists, served as a culture center extending for three hundred kilometers around.

For later cultures, the capital is, first of all, the location of the ruler of the state or the sovereign, under whose control a certain area was located. Already from Babylon, one of the most important features of the capital city is the state archive, which contained the most important state documents, such as ruler's decrees and descriptions of military campaigns.

Riding capitals

Many nomadic people for a long time had no idea of the capital as a permanently functioning administrative center, but even they had the main temple complexes and sacred places that served as a gathering point for the representatives of the whole people for the purpose of making important decisions.

The meaning of the word "capital" in the Roman Empire acquires modern content. There the Senate and rulers sat on a permanent basis, although during the late empire it happened that rulers or pretenders to supreme power never visited Rome, but constantly moved with the troops.

The Byzantine emperors also moved quite actively throughout the vast country, but at the same time they carried a state archive with them. At the same time, Constantinople had an undeniable status of the main city, cultural, historical and economic center of the country, in which goods and values were brought from all sides of the vast empire. This was a vivid example of the case when the capital was also the largest city.

Feudal capitals

In later times of feudalism, the capital is, above all, the residence of the ruling monarch. For example, every German principality had its own capital, which could consist of one castle in which the feudal lord lived.

For most modern states, the capital is a city with government offices, although there are exceptions. In many countries, there are laws that define the special status of the capital city.