A polis of ancient Greece was a "<span>a. politically independent unit that included a city and surrounding land" although it should be noted that it was not completely politically independent. </span>
Throughout most of China's history it was ruled by powerful families called dynasties. The first dynasty was the Shang and the last was the Qing. Ancient China also boasts the longest lasting empire in history. It began with the Qin dynasty and the first emperor Qin who united all of China under one rule in 221 BC.
