In Asia Minor (modern Turkey), the authors found an example of a typical and well-studied polis of Kyaneai, province of Lycia. The article reveals the basic principles of the formation of this polis on the basis of the central location of the main city asty surrounded by district cities – demoses with a balanced development of its entire territory – chora. An analysis of various types of small settlements is provided, the road structure of this polis and its external relations is revealed, the importance of distances and accessibility between each of its elements and the central city as factors of harmonious and sustainable development is emphasized. An assessment of its population in the Hellenistic and Roman periods is given, and on this basis, a scheme of the chora of a typical continental polis is proposed, which allows to determine the universal principles of its formation and use them as a tool for further research and application in modern urban planning.