Let There Be Greece!
-The word "Greek" actually comes from Latin.
-In ancient times the Greeks called themselves "Hellenes", and their land "Hellas".
-Greece is located in southeast Europe, in the south of the Balkan Peninsula.
-Has two peninsulas- the Chalkidiki in the northeast and the Peloponnese in the south.
-The Peloponnese is connected to the mainland by the Isthmus of Corinth.
-Also has a shitload of islands in the Ionian Sea (west), the Aegean Sea (east), and the Sea of Crete (south) which includes the important islands of Crete and Rhodes.
-Also has cities and territories in Asia Minor/Anatolia (basically modern-day Turkey), Cyprus, North Africa, southern Gaul (basically modern-day France), around the Black Sea, and southern Italy and Sicily (called "Magna Graecia" by the Romans).
-Why didn't the Ancient Greeks ever unify like other contemporary civilizations?
-80% of the country is mountainous, so a lot of the cities were isolated from each other.
-This problem was also compounded by the fact that many of the people lived among the thousands of Greek islands with their own communities and shit, which just made everything more complicated.
-Only about 20% of Greece's land is considered good for farming, and is mostly located in Thessaly (northern Greece) and Messenia (southwest Peloponnese).
-The Pindus Mountain Range goes across the middle of Greece, going from the northeast to the southwest.
-The Olympus Mountain Range is on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia.
-Contains the tallest mountain in Greece- Mount Olympus (duh).
-Because it was so shitty to have to travel across Greece, the easiest way to travel around was to go by sea.
-The need for bronze was a huge motivating factor in transforming the region early on into a major seafaring, trading civilization.
-This interaction with older civilizations gave them access to new technology and luxury.
-Climate- typical Mediterranean weather- long, hot, dry summers; short, mild, wet winters.
-Northern Greece, however, is more temperate, with colder, wetter winters.
-Rarely snows (except in the mountains, of course).
-Very few lakes and ponds. Also, rainfall was quite limited, so drought was a constant issue, but floods were also a problem as well due to the mountains.
-The sea could be problematic as well due to violent storms.
-The Greek gods were personifications of the elements and forces of nature.
-Most popular crops were grains, grapes, and olives. Meat was rare (except for fish and seafood).
-They liked cheese, but thought milk and butter were "uncivilized".
-Also loved spices and honey.
-Cattle and horses were rare, but sheep and goats were popular due to their ability to graze on mountains.
-Oxen, mules, and donkeys were used for labor.
-Most people were farmers (about 90% of the population).
-In ancient times the Greeks called themselves "Hellenes", and their land "Hellas".
-Greece is located in southeast Europe, in the south of the Balkan Peninsula.
-Has two peninsulas- the Chalkidiki in the northeast and the Peloponnese in the south.
-The Peloponnese is connected to the mainland by the Isthmus of Corinth.
-Also has a shitload of islands in the Ionian Sea (west), the Aegean Sea (east), and the Sea of Crete (south) which includes the important islands of Crete and Rhodes.
-Also has cities and territories in Asia Minor/Anatolia (basically modern-day Turkey), Cyprus, North Africa, southern Gaul (basically modern-day France), around the Black Sea, and southern Italy and Sicily (called "Magna Graecia" by the Romans).
-Why didn't the Ancient Greeks ever unify like other contemporary civilizations?
-80% of the country is mountainous, so a lot of the cities were isolated from each other.
-This problem was also compounded by the fact that many of the people lived among the thousands of Greek islands with their own communities and shit, which just made everything more complicated.
-Only about 20% of Greece's land is considered good for farming, and is mostly located in Thessaly (northern Greece) and Messenia (southwest Peloponnese).
-The Pindus Mountain Range goes across the middle of Greece, going from the northeast to the southwest.
-The Olympus Mountain Range is on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia.
-Contains the tallest mountain in Greece- Mount Olympus (duh).
-Because it was so shitty to have to travel across Greece, the easiest way to travel around was to go by sea.
-The need for bronze was a huge motivating factor in transforming the region early on into a major seafaring, trading civilization.
-This interaction with older civilizations gave them access to new technology and luxury.
-Climate- typical Mediterranean weather- long, hot, dry summers; short, mild, wet winters.
-Northern Greece, however, is more temperate, with colder, wetter winters.
-Rarely snows (except in the mountains, of course).
-Very few lakes and ponds. Also, rainfall was quite limited, so drought was a constant issue, but floods were also a problem as well due to the mountains.
-The sea could be problematic as well due to violent storms.
-The Greek gods were personifications of the elements and forces of nature.
-Most popular crops were grains, grapes, and olives. Meat was rare (except for fish and seafood).
-They liked cheese, but thought milk and butter were "uncivilized".
-Also loved spices and honey.
-Cattle and horses were rare, but sheep and goats were popular due to their ability to graze on mountains.
-Oxen, mules, and donkeys were used for labor.
-Most people were farmers (about 90% of the population).
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