D. Godfrey 2008 The Landscape of Greece Settlement and it’s Affects

D. Godfrey 2008 The Conditions The soil is not very good for growing things, there are a lot of mountains that make it hard to walk from one place to another, and there is never enough fresh water.

D. Godfrey 2008 However... Greece does have is a lot of coastline (beaches). No part of Greece is more than about forty miles from the sea: a couple of days walking. Plus there are a lot of small islands

D. Godfrey 2008 Mountains Everywhere Greece has a lot of mountains-80% of the land is mountainous. Mountains are not too high Rugged enough to make travel on land challenging Greatly reduce the amount of land available for farming!

D. Godfrey 2008 What About Natural Disasters Greece is in the middle of a very active volcanic zone – this the possibility of earthquakes and/or volcanoes.

D. Godfrey 2008 How did Greece Look There used to be quite a lot of trees on the hillsides of Greece People cut most of them down Why? –Maybe used the trees to make the heat to produce iron. –Greek forests located in the highlands were cleared by goats and used for charcoal production –homes and wagons were made of wood – Wood was probably a necessary resource in the construction of the fleet of ships. –Around 13 th century BC cleared due to the needs of the rapidly growing population

D. Godfrey 2008 The Fight for Forests 5th century B. C. was divided up by two major powers Athens and Sparta – Peloponnesian War Wood was very important for maintaining naval power for Athens Spartan army appears to have invaded the Attica region as soon as the war started and to have cut down the forests. Athens and Sparta were exhausted at the end of the long war Power in the Greek world shifted northward to Macedonia Sources: John Perlin, A Forest Journey: The Role of Wood in the Development of Civilization; Takeo Yuasa, The Environment and Civilization

D. Godfrey 2008 Sparta Athens

D. Godfrey 2008 What was the weather like? The weather changed with the seasons. It also depended on whether you were in Northern Greece or in Southern Greece. The summer - hot and dry. It hardly rains at all in Greece in the summer Winters in southern Greece are chilly and rainy, but not really cold Northern Greece, it would be colder, and there would probably be snow several times in a winter, though you wouldn't have snow on the ground continuously

D. Godfrey 2008 Who Where the Greeks The early Greeks were sailors – they were good sailors and not so great farmers. They depended on the sea for fishing And for trading – buying and selling goods. Greeks also hired themselves as solders to fight for other people in the region. Greeks also often turn to piracy or raiding to make a living

D. Godfrey 2008 Soil and Agriculture Grew barley and wheat Olive trees for olive oil Grapes grow well in rocky soil Goat and sheep most common livestock- meat, wool, and milk.

D. Godfrey 2008 Greece Today From what you know about the landscape during the ancient times, what do you think are environmental problems that modern Greeks have? Do you think they are some of the same or new problems have developed?

D. Godfrey 2008 Wildfires In August 2007 wildfires spread through vast parts of Greece. 1000’s left homeless Over 150 deaths

D. Godfrey 2008 Results “has a significant impact on global atmospheric pollution,” including release of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide that are implicated to global climate change. August 25, 2007

D. Godfrey 2008 Acid Rain Acid rain is rain that is more acidic than normal air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels is the major cause of acid rain Acid rain eats away at stone, metal, paint -- almost any material exposed to the weather for a long period of time Acid Rain is a Problem That Can Travel

D. Godfrey 2008 Damage to Ancient Structures Acropolis in Athens

D. Godfrey 2008 Other Environmental Concerns Air and water pollution have become a major problems in Greece. Since World War II - increase of industrial activities, motor vehicles, and foreign tourists dispose of the waste from the factories is to direct them to the sea As a result of the droughts, and uncontrolled use of fertilizers and by soil erosion, the quality of the Greek soil has also declined. This has resulted in desertification in many agricultural areas -- many farmers losing their business.

D. Godfrey 2008 Discussion Questions What are similar problems faced by ancient Greeks and the modern country of Greece? How did the Greek landscape affect the lifestyle of the ancient Greeks? How did the ancient Greeks change or modify their environment to meet their needs? What are some of the affects of the modification to the landscape to both ancient Greece and the modern country of Greece?