What role did geography play in its development, and why did the Greeks consider it a unique and valuable institution?

 

Importance of Geography in Ancient Greece

Geography, which involves the relationship between people and their surroundings, plays a critical role in shaping civilizations and helping people understand the basic physical systems that affect their everyday life. The same way geography is considered important today is the way individuals living in ancient Greece considered it valuable and unique. Greece is generally a land of islands, peninsulas and mountains. The Greek peninsula contains two unique geographic features that significantly impacted the establishment of Greek society. Although it is not a large country, it contains a vast dramatic and endless landscape, making it challenging for people to develop urban centers. Instead, the mountainous terrain of the land led to the development of the land's city-state, commonly known as polis which began around the 750 period before the Common Era (Roller, 2015). These cities were natural and easy to develop. Individuals had a difficult time communicating and travelling because of the high mountains, and hence each polis organized itself in a different manner that made them independent from one another. Efforts for one city to impose their will upon another city was almost impossible, hence creating order and allowing each city to run under their terms.

Again, the Greeks lacked a sense of ethnic identity, and hence there was a desire for unison, although none of the city-states wanted to follow or be ruled by another city. With time, the polis became the structure by which residence organized themselves, with Sparta and Athens being good examples of city-states that differed and operated independently of each other (Roller, 2015). Hence the Greeks considered geography essential and valuable as it helped them develop cities that were important in the organization of society.  Additionally, Greece contains a network of small rivers, deep harbors and countless scattered islands that made it easy for the residents to access water. This availability of water presented Greece residents with the opportunity to naturally become traders and explorers.