Geography of Greece
Geography of Greece
• Based on these maps, what are two things we know about Greece’s geography?– Surrounded by the sea– Mostly mountainous
Mountainous Terrain
• Mountains cover 75% of Greece
• Difficult to unite of all Greece– Hard to communicate – Travel was difficult
• Small independent and culturally diverse city-states form– Polis Greek city-state (Athens, Sparta,
Corinth)
Mountainous Terrain
• Only 20% of the land is arable– Arable Land that is suitable for farming
• Not enough food to support a large population• Crops included grain, grapes, and olives
– How would Greece have to support its growing populations?
• Answer: Expand & Colonize other territories
The Sea
• Greece is a both a peninsula and an archipelago – Archipelago series of islands
• Surrounded by the Aegean, Ionian, and Mediterranean Seas– Almost all settlements within 85 miles of the coast
• Relied on sea for transportation & food• Irregular coastline makes Greece ideal for
trading posts
History & Origins of the Greeks• The Minoans
– Earliest Greek culture (2800 BCE)– Location: Crete – Thalossocracy “Sea power”
• Dominated the region through trade– Never governed mainland Greece
» But culture heavily influences development of Greece
History & Origins of the Greeks
• Snake Goddess• Sign of fertility (particularly in
Egypt)• Chief deity
– Matriarchal?
• Knossus – Frescoes
• Bull Jumping
– Labyrinth Myth• Place was designed like a
labyrinth• Evidence of human sacrifice
The Minoans
Commercial & political center of
Minoan civilization
History & Origins of the Greeks
• Mycenaeans– Location: Mycenae (Southern Greece)
• City was protected by a citadel w/20-foot thick wall
– Government• From Mycenae, a warrior-king controlled the surrounding
villages including Athens
The Citadel of Mycenae
History & Origins of the Greeks
• Mycenaens– Contact with the
Minoans (c. 1500 BCE)
• Developed seafaring trade
• Adapted Minoan writing to Greek language
• Laid foundations for Greek religion, art, and literature
• Trojan War– Evidence suggest a
real war between Greece & the independent Anatolian city of Troy took place
• Exact nature of war is unknown
History & Origins of the Greeks
• Phoenicians (1200 - 539 B.C.E.)
– “Carriers of Civilization”– Developed an alphabet
• Greeks would add vowels later
– Greece was Phoenicia’s number one trading partner
• Greeks wanted Tyrian purple; a color made from sea snails for the elite’s clothing
History & Origins of the Greeks• The Dorians
– The Dorian Invasion (1100 – 950 BCE)
• Location: North of Mt. Olympus (modern Macedonia
• They pillaged their way down to Peloponnesus and took over Mycenae
– Government• Organized in tribes• Ruled by kings and
aristocratic councils
History & Origins of the Greeks
• The Dark Ages– Dorians were not as
advanced as the Mycenaeans
– Written records disappear until 750 BCE
• Little is known about Greek history from 1150 - 750 BCE, hence the Dark Ages
• “Black” Athens?– Historian Martin Bernal
argues that the influence of Egypt on Greek culture has been underestimated
• In turn, the role of Africa in the development of Western culture has been ignored