text_original: Cities became strong centres of influence whether they were republics or under the control of some dominant family ; and the large cities gradually obtained sway over the smaller towns and surrounded themselves with subject communes.
text_transcription: CITIES BECAME STRONG CENTERS OF INFLUENCE WHETHER THEY WERE REPUBLICS OR UNDER THE CONTROL OF SOME DOMINANT FAMILY AND THE LARGE CITIES GRADUALLY OBTAINED SWAY OVER THE SMALLER TOWNS AND SURROUNDED THEMSELVES WITH SUBJECT COMMUNES
phonemes: sˈɪɾiz bɪkˌeɪm stɹˈɔŋ sˈɛntɚz ʌv ˈɪnfluːəns wˈɛðɚ ðeɪ wɜː ɹᵻpˈʌblɪks ɔːɹ ˌʌndɚ ðə kəntɹˈoʊl ʌv sˌʌm dˈɑːmɪnənt fˈæmɪli ; ænd ðə lˈɑːɹdʒ sˈɪɾiz ɡɹˈædʒuːəli əbtˈeɪnd swˈeɪ ˌoʊvɚ ðə smˈɔːlɚ tˈaʊnz ænd sɚɹˈaʊndᵻd ðɛmsˈɛlvz wɪð sˈʌbdʒɛkt kˈɑːmjuːnz.