μητρό-πολις,
Dor. ματρό-, poet. μητρόπτολις, Epigr.Gr. 537.4 (Tomi), 842a1 (Cyrene), Syria 7.209 (Damascus), Nonn. D. 13.166: εως, ἡ: -
1. mother-state, as related to her colonies, of Athens in relation to the Ionians, Hdt. 7.51, Th. 6.82; of Doris in relation to the Peloponn. Dorians, Hdt. 8.31, Th. 1.107, 3.92; of Meroe in relation to the Ethiopians, Hdt. 2.29; of Thera, μεγαλᾶν πολίων μ. Pi. P. 4.20; μ. Λοκρῶν Ὀπόεις Simon. 93; of the Attic Salamis, as the μ. of the Cyprian, A. Pers. 895 (lyr.); of Corinth, as the μ. of Corcyra, Th. 1.24; of Rome, Gal. 14.296.
2. metaph., ἐστὶ μ. τοῦ ψυχροῦ [ὁ ἐγκέφαλος ] Hp. Carn. 4; ἡ ἱστορία μ. τῆς φιλοσοφίας D.S. 1.2, cf. Chrysipp.Stoic. 3.199; γεωμετρία ἀρχὴ καὶ μ. τῶν ἄλλων (sc. μαθημάτων) Philol. ap. Plu. 2.718e.
II
1. one’s mother-city, mothercountry, home, Pi. N. 5.8, S. OC 707 (lyr.), Ant. 1122 (lyr.).
2. ἁ σὰ ματρόπολις thy mother’s city, Isyll. 59.
III capital city, X. An. 5.2.3, 5.4.15; ἡ μ. τῆς Ἀσίας, of Ephesus, OGI 496.6, IG 3.485; ἡ μ. τῆς Ἰωνίας, of Miletus, ib.480. in Egypt, chief town of a νομός, PRLaws 48.16 (iii B. C.), BGU 326 ii 10 (ii A. D.), etc.
μητρό - πολις , - εως , ἡ ,
[in LXX for H1 etc.;]
a metropolis, chief city: ITi, subscr. ( Rec. ). †