Download Ancient Greece Geography

Ancient Greece Geography
Ancient Greece for Kids
Greece is a peninsula, which means that it is surrounded on three sides by water.
Greece has a lot of smaller peninsulas sticking out from it, which means Greece
enjoys many natural harbors.
Greece is also covered with mountains. They are not huge mountains but if you are
trying to go from place to place in Greece, you'll find the mountains a bit of a
hindrance.
Three thousand years ago, it was very difficult to get from place to place in ancient
Greece by walking. But it was easy to get from place to place in Greece by boat.
In the ancient world that grew up around the Mediterranean Sea, the Greeks became
known as great sailors. They sailed about the Mediterranean, setting up colonies and
outposts where they could.
They tried to set up a colony or two in Egypt, but the Egyptians chased them away.
They had more luck establishing new towns on the coast of Turkey, on the coast of
Italy, on the coast of Africa, and on the coast of France.
Meanwhile, back in mainland Greece, cities were thriving. The soil was mostly fertile.
The Greeks had a wealth of seafood, fresh fish, a wealth of vegetables, and fresh
drinking water. The Greeks were very happy with their land.
Information in this article came from the website: http://greece.mrdonn.org/geography.html
Greece, a country in southeastern Europe whose peninsula extends from the Balkans into the
Mediterranean Sea, is mountainous, with many gulfs and bays. Forests fill some areas of Greece.
Much of Greece is stony and suitable only for pasturage, but other areas are suitable for
growing wheat, barley, citrus,dates, and olives.
It is convenient to divide ancient Greece into 3 geographical regions (plus islands and colonies):
(1) Northern Greece,
(2) Central Greece and
(3) The Peloponnese.
I. Northern Greece
Northern Greece consists of Epirus and Thessaly, separated by the Pindus mountain range. The chief
town in Epirus is Dodona where the Greeks thought Zeus provided oracles. Thessaly is the largest
plains area in Greece. It is almost surrounded by mountains. On the north, the Cambunian range has
as its highest mountain the home of the gods, Mt. Olympus, and nearby, Mt Ossa. Between these two
mountains is a valley called the Vale of Tempe through which runs the Peneius River.
II. Central Greece
Central Greece has more mountains than northern Greece. It contains the countries of Aetolia (famed
for the Calydonian boar hunt), Locris (divided into 2 sections by Doris and Phocis), Acarnania (west of
Aetolia, bordered by the Achelous River, and north of the gulf of Calydon), Doris, Phocis,Boeotia, Attica,
and Megaris. Boeotia and Attica are separated by Mt. Cithaeron. In northeast Attica is Mt. Pentelicus
home of the famous marble. South of Pentelicus is the Hymettusmountain range, which is famous for its
honey. Attica had a poor soil, but a long coastline favoring trade. Megaris lies in the Isthmus of Corinth,
which separates central Greece from the Peloponnese. The Megarans raised sheep and made woolen
products and pottery.
III. Peloponnesus
South of the Isthmus of Corinth is the Peloponnese (21,549 sq. km), whose central region is Arcadia,
which is a plateau over mountain ranges. On the northern slope is Achaea, with Elis and Corinth on
either side. On the east of the Peloponnese is the mountainous Argolis area. Laconia was the country
in the basin of the Eurotas River, which ran between the Taygetus and Parnon mountain regions.
Messenia lies to the west of Mt. Taygetus, the highest point in the Peloponnese.
Source: An Ancient History for Beginners, by George Willis Botsford, New York: Macmillan Company.
1917.
Information in this article came from the website:
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/greekmapsall/a/70107greekgeogr.htm