That is a fortress, which in this period is also a city. He'd view it as a dependency, because here he is thinking strictly from the point of view of a city state. Italian writers of this period tend to ignore the nation state, except when the likes of France forces them to or they have to account for Macedon, thinking from the stand point of city state or Empire by default.
Machiavelli is not as bad as most, especially in the Prince.
I wonder what Machiavelli would say about city founded primarily for a military purpose compared to cities that sprung from reasons of commerce.
That is a fortress, which in this period is also a city. He'd view it as a dependency, because here he is thinking strictly from the point of view of a city state. Italian writers of this period tend to ignore the nation state, except when the likes of France forces them to or they have to account for Macedon, thinking from the stand point of city state or Empire by default.
Machiavelli is not as bad as most, especially in the Prince.