This chapter summarizes the first part of the book by tracing the ancient foundations of civility to Aristotle and Cicero, who viewed political community as resting on a pre-political social bond akin to civic friendship (philia or amicitia). Drawing on David Konstan’s analysis, it distinguishes intimate friendship from the broader, impersonal civic friendship essential for social cohesion and concord (homonoia/concordia), which transcends mere utility or justice. In Athens, civic friendship ideally unified the polis, though often limited to elite citizens; in hierarchical Rome, it competed with patronage but led to powerful concepts like societas and natural sociability. Cicero’s emphasis on concordia civium and ordinum underscores solidarity over factionalism. Civility emerges as adherence to shared standards of decorum, distinguishing civilized members of one’s community from barbarians and enabling mutual recognition. Ultimately, civility is presented as a culturally embedded social bond, upstream from politics, providing the moeurs of public behaviour and the harmony necessary for sustainable political order.