A step back in time Ancient Greece

The Lay of the Land

World Map Can you find Europe?

Map of Europe Can you find Greece?

Map of Greece

Map of Ancient Greece

Compare Ancient Greece and the Greece of Today Do you see a difference?

Ancient Greece was much larger!!

Worldwide Temperatures

The temperature of Greece is similar to the temperature of Virginia.

Worldwide Rainfall

Greece gets a little less rainfall than Virginia.

Worldwide Mountains

Greece is full of mountains. That is good for getting stones to build beautiful buildings with, but bad for growing food.

European Vegetation (that means plant growth)

Ancient Greek Coastline

Not much vegetation grows in Greece. Most plants grow on the plains. Most of the land is used for pastures.

Your Task Go to your desk and color in the map of Greece. Color the Greece of today your favorite color and ancient Greece yellow. Write about the land of Greece: –Mountains –Temperature –Rainfall –Vegetation

Where in the world is Greece? This is what Greece looks like. Color the water blue. Find Greece on the map of Europe and color it. You may use your favorite color. Color ancient Greece yellow.

The Land of Greece Most of Greece is hills and mountains. The temperature of Greece is similar to the temperature of Virginia. Greece gets a little less rainfall than Virginia. Not much vegetation grows in Greece. It is too hilly and rocky.

Your Task Research food that was eaten in ancient Greece. Read about the food in your booklet. Highlight the important information.

Ancient Greek Food Food, for the Greeks, had all sorts of religious and philosophical meaning. religious philosophical

The Greeks, to begin with, never ate meat unless it had been sacrificed to a god, or had been hunted in the wild.Greeks sacrificedhunted

They believed that it was wrong to kill and eat a tame, domesticated animal without sacrificing it to the gods. domesticated animal

Even with vegetables, many Greeks believed that particular foods were cleaner or dirtier, or that certain gods liked certain foods better than others.

The Pythagoreans, for example, would not eat beans. But even if you were not a Pythagorean, the Greeks tended to think of the god Dionysus whenever they drank wine (which was often), and to think of Demeter and Persephone whenever they ate bread.PythagoreansDionysuswineDemeter Persephone bread

The Greeks ate mainly the Mediterranean triad, wheat (or barley or millet), wine, and olive oil. wheatbarley milletwine olive oil

They also grew vegetables, especially legumes (lentils, beans, peas, chickpeas).

Possibly they ate more fish than most other Mediterranean people.fish other Mediterranean people

Also, because of their feelings about sacrificing meat, they may have eaten meat less than other people did. meat

Your Task Highlight the notes in your book on food in ancient Greece.

Food in Ancient Greece Olives, grapes and figs grew along the coast. Wheat was grown on the plains. Lentils, beans and chickpeas were also grown.

Food in Ancient Greece Goats were raised for milk. Fish and seafood were caught from the sea. Meat was not eaten much. Animals were sacrificed in religious ceremonies.

Trading for Food The ancient Greeks traded for food. They built boats and traded with other countries that bordered the Mediterranean Sea.

Ancient Greek Trading Ship

The Giant Leap How did trading to get food affect the economy of Greece? Write about it!

Trading The ancient Greeks found they could trade for other things besides food. Greece became a trading center for the Mediterranean Sea. Shipbuilding became a major industry.