In many Slavic languages, the word "capital" comes from the Old Slavonic "table", which means the place where the prince was on a more or less permanent basis. In the Latin languages and the languages of the states that were within the Roman Empire, the designation of the main city goes back to the Latin word caput, which translates as "head" or " title". In any case, the capital is, first of 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 have become distinguished by their level of development. This state of affairs existed even in the pre-state era, as evidenced by excavations in eastern Turkey, where temple centers dating back 12,000 years were discovered, which, according to archaeologists, served as the center of a culture that spread three hundred kilometers around.
For later cultures, the capital is primarily the location of the ruler of the state or sovereign, under whose control a certain area was. Already from Babylon, one of the important signs of the capital city was the state archive, which stored the most importantgovernment documents such as rulings of the ruler and descriptions of military campaigns.
Nomadic capitals
Many nomadic peoples for a long time lacked the idea of the capital as a permanently functioning administrative center, but even they had major temple complexes and holy places that served as a gathering point for representatives of the whole people in order to make important decisions.
The meaning of the word "capital" in the Roman Empire acquires a modern content. The Senate and the rulers sat there on a permanent basis, although during the late empire it happened that the rulers or pretenders to the supreme power never visited Rome, but constantly moved with the troops.
Byzantine emperors also quite actively moved throughout the vast country, but at the same time they carried the state archive with them. At the same time, Constantinople had the undeniable status of the main city, the cultural, historical and economic center of the country, into which goods and valuables were brought from all over the vast empire. It was a prime example of a case where the capital was also the largest city.
Feudal Capitals
In later times of feudalism, the capital is, first of all, the residence of the ruling monarch. For example, each 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 manycountries have laws that define the special status of the capital city.
