We review and elaborate on properties of the string tension in two-dimensio
nal gauge theories.
The first model we consider is massive QED in the m << e limit. We evaluate
the leading string tension both in the fermionic and bosonized description
s. We discuss the next-to-leading corrections in m/e. The next-to-leading t
erms in the long distance behavior of the quark-antiquark potential, are ev
aluated in a certain region of external versus dynamical charges. The finit
e temperature behavior is also determined.
In QCD(2) we review the results for the string tension of quarks in cases w
ith dynamical quarks in the fundamental, adjoint, symmetric and antisymmetr
ic representations. The screening nature of SYM2 is re-derived.