THE GEOGRAPHY OF GREECE I can explain how the geography of Greece influenced life of Ancient Greeks.

Geography Shapes Ancient Greek Life The mainland of Greece sticks out into the Mediterranean Sea. It is a peninsula, a body of land that has water on three sides. Greece also includes thousands of islands. The gulf of water almost divides the Greek peninsula in two. The southern tip forms a second peninsula called the Peloponnesus. A narrow strip of land called an isthmus links the Peloponnesus to the rest of Greece.

Landscape and Climate The majority of Greece is covered by mountains meaning that transportation along the land was difficult making it hard for ancient Greece to be united under 1 ruler. Outdoor life was prominent due to the warm climate of Greece.

RESOURCES Greece had limited natural resources which they had to find in other places. One resource Greece had an abundance of was stone and coastline for harbors. The Colossus of Rhodes

Agriculture Although Greece had little good farming land, more than half of ancient Greeks were farmers or herders, with the respected landowners making up the upper class. Other regions, like Anatolia, were founded in order to attain more farmlands.

Trade Helps Greece Prosper Highways of Water “Highways of water,” such as the Ionian Sea, Aegean Sea, and Mediterranean Sea, were used as transportation routes to link Greece to the surrounding world.

A Seafaring People Greeks could easily sail around the small surrounding seas by staying near the coastline in their many different types of ships, including sailing and fighting ships. The seas also provided large amounts of fish for food. Warships Reconstruction of Trireme

Trade and Commerce The Greeks traded a variety of goods between Greek city-states and into foreign lands as well. Greeks traded such goods as olive oil and wine in return for grain, timber, and even slaves.

Was Greece an important civilization in ancient history? It can be argued they were. Looking at this map, ancient Greek culture would have influenced many lands that were not apart of the ancient Greek homeland. Through trade, Greek culture would have spread, and other cultures would have been brought back to Greece.