But the point stands, doesn't it? I wasn't talking about "continued existence" in general, but about defense against an invasion ("being conquered", I defaulte

But the point stands, doesn't it? I wasn't talking about "continued existence" in general, but about defense against an invasion ("being conquered", I defaulted to "by military invasion"). The Republic of Ireland doesn't have an army that could defend it, it would have to rely on more powerful allies. (I'm discounting guerrilla resistance by civilians, etc). > Is there a example of a modern city state being conquered? I think there are no modern city states in the same sense that ancient Athens, Rome, Carthage, Sparta, or Renaissance Florence and Milan were.