A final reason behind the development of city-states was the Greek aristocracy, who acted to prevent any permanent monarchies from forming. They defended the political independence of their cities vigorously.
The principles behind the ancient Greeks’ democratic system of government are still in use today. The United States and many other countries throughout the modern world have adopted democratic governments to give a voice to their people. Democracy provides citizens the opportunity to elect officials to represent them.
This was a momentous task, and for guidance they looked to what they deemed the best philosophies and examples of government throughout world history. Along with the Roman model, the democratic model of ancient Greece’s system of self-government greatly influenced how the founding fathers set out to construct the new United States government.
Greek City-States. The Greek city-states were the dominant settlement structure of the ancient Greek world and helped define how different regions interacted with each other.
City-states also created different currencies which forced traders to use specific currency in each city-state. There were numerous city-states within Ancient Greece. The most powerful or influential city-states were Athens, Sparta, Thebes, Corinth, and Delphi.
The sea was often the easiest way to move from place to place. Another reason city-states formed, rather than a central, all-encompassing monarchy, was that the Greek aristocracy strove to maintain their city-states' independence and to unseat any potential tyrants.
The geography of the region helped to shape the government and culture of the Ancient Greeks. Geographical formations including mountains, seas, and islands formed natural barriers between the Greek city-states and forced the Greeks to settle along the coast.
The establishment of colonies across the Mediterranean permitted the export of luxury goods such as fine Greek pottery, wine, oil, metalwork, and textiles, and the extraction of wealth from the land - timber, metals, and agriculture (notably grain, dried fish, and leather), for example - and they often became lucrative ...
One result of the independent spirit of the early Greeks was frequent wars between citystates.
After a long and bloody struggle, independence was finally achieved, and confirmed by the Treaty of Constantinople in July 1832. The Greeks were thus the first of the Ottoman Empire's subject peoples to be accepted as an independent sovereign power.
How were the lives of the Greeks affected by the fact that they lived on a peninsula full of mountains? They protect and isolate cities and limit contact between people.
The geography of Greece affected the development because the mountains divided Greece and isolated Greeks from each other. This started rivalry between the communities. The seas also influenced the development because Greece is surrounded by water. This led Greeks to become seafarers.
How did the geography of Greece affect Greek history in terms of politics, military developments, and the economy? Greece was in a small area, surrounded by mountains and the ocean. The terrain was mountainous so the cities were cut off from one another. They each had their own way of life.
The Greeks began founding colonies as far back as 900 to 700 B.C.E. These colonies were founded to provide a release for Greek overpopulation, land hunger, and political unrest. Iron tools and new farming techniques allowed the Greeks to farm larger pieces of land. But as farms got bigger, they got more crowded.
The Greeks made important contributions to philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, and medicine. Literature and theatre was an important aspect of Greek culture and influenced modern drama. The Greeks were known for their sophisticated sculpture and architecture.
Greece's steep mountains and surrounding seas forced Greeks to settle in isolated communities. Travel by land was hard, and sea voyages were hazardous. Most ancient Greeks farmed, but good land and water were scarce. They grew grapes and olives, and raised sheep, goats, pigs, and chickens.
Greek city-states likely developed because of the physical geography of the Mediterranean region. The landscape features rocky, mountainous land and many islands. These physical barriers caused population centers to be relatively isolated from each other. The sea was often the easiest way to move from place to place.
Greek City-States. Encyclopedic Entry. Vocabulary. A city-state, or polis, was the community structure of ancient Greece. Each city-state was organized with an urban center and the surrounding countryside. Characteristics of the city in a polis were outer walls for protection, as well as a public space that included temples and government buildings.
The Parthenon was a temple built to honor the goddess Athena. The majority of a polis ’s population lived in the city, as it was the center of trade, commerce, culture, and political activity. There grew to be over 1,000 city-states in ancient Greece, but the main poleis were Athína (Athens), Spárti (Sparta), Kórinthos (Corinth), Thíva (Thebes), ...
Each city-state ruled itself. They differed greatly from the each other in governing philosophies and interests. For example, Sparta was ruled by two kings and a council of elders. It emphasized maintaining a strong military, while Athens valued education and art.
monarchy. Noun. system of government in which national power is invested in one person, usually a king or queen. Credits. Media Credits. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit.
Acropolis. Noun. large, flat-topped hill that is the highest point of the city of Athens, Greece. ancient Greece. Noun. loosely united civilization founded on and around the Peloponnese peninsula, lasting from about the 8th century BCE to about 200 BCE. aristocracy.
Also in the 4th century BCE, another city-state, Macedon, gives birth to Alexander, son of Philip II, whose conquests lift him to legendary status as Alexander the Great. Alexander’s tie to Macedon makes it the most powerful city-state in Greece, above both Athens and Sparta, by 338 BCE.
To a remarkable degree, Athenian democracy formed the basis of the U.S.’s democratic republic.
Mycenae becomes both a trading and a military power, and by 1,300 BCE is the dominant power of the Aegean.
As an invading presence, the Spartans become wealthy by living off the work of the helots, who outnumber them 10-to-1. They are constantly on guard against the possibility of a slave rebellion. All Spartan men are required to defend their city-state, and their military prowess becomes second to none.
Over the course of nearly 100 years, Persia is a persistent adversary, first fighting the Greeks over control of the Athenian colon y of Ionia (in modern day Turkey) in the early part of the century, and later launching invasions of the Greek mainland in 490 and 481 BCE.
Athens is known for its support of the arts and culture.
By 260 BCE, Rome is ready to take to the high seas in pursuit of adventure and conquest. The Greeks hardly have the spirit to maintain their defense. Over time, Rome conquers Macedon and the other Greek city-states, and finally goes so far as to decree that all of Greece is “free” as long as it stays under Roman “protection.”
One major reason why ancient Greece was dominated by small city-states and independent towns, rather than by one all-powerful king, is its geography. The country's mountainous terrain, many isolated valleys, and numerous offshore islands encouraged the formation of many local centers of power, rather than one all-powerful capital.
Another key factor influencing the formation of city-states rather than kingdoms was the Mediterranean. Such a calm and easily navigable sea provided the Greeks with an opportunity to found new colonies in times of crisis and overpopulation.
Starting in the 8th century BC, colonies were eventually founded all over the Mediterranean, from Naples in Italy, to Marseilles in France, Cyrene in Northern Africa, Byzantium, close to the Black Sea, and numerous cities all along the western coast of modern-day Turkey.
Greece’s steep mountains and surrounding seas forced Greeks to settle in isolated communities. Travel by land was hard, and sea voyages were hazardous. Most ancient Greeks farmed, but good land and water were scarce. Many ancient Greeks sailed across the sea to found colonies that helped spread Greek culture.
Each city – state was independent and located in an isolated valley. While the Greeks spoke the same language, they had different cultures and government and social structures because they were divided. The mountains separating the city – states were barriers to cultural diffusion and unity.
Greece’s geography impacted social, political, and economic patterns in a variety of ways, such as that its mountains prevented complete unification, led to the establishment of the city states near the sea, led to a reliance on naval powers, hindered overland trade, and encouraged maritime trade around the
Greek city – states likely developed because of the physical geography of the Mediterranean region. Another reason city – states formed, rather than a central, all-encompassing monarchy, was that the Greek aristocracy strove to maintain their city – states ‘ independence and to unseat any potential tyrants.
Towns grew up along the rivers which had access to the sea. Rivers also provided protection from invaders. Farmers grew crops in the fertile fields that surrounded the towns. The lack of mountains was good for farming, but it made the towns easier to be invaded by enemies.
How did the physical geography of Greece lead to interactions with other cultures? Ancient Greeks traveled by land to trade with civilizations in northern Europe. Ancient Greeks traveled by land to trade with civilizations in East Asia. Ancient Greeks traveled by sea to trade with civilizations in southern Africa.
While the Athenian city-state enjoyed a period of democracy, Sparta was a military culture. Although Athenian citizens enjoyed certain freedoms during the time of their democracy, the idea of who made up of a citizen was very strict. Basically, the two city-states didn’t understand each other.