Greece was known as the “cradle of Western civilization” because its culture became the embodiment of successive Western civilizations. Ancient Greek geography had many positive and negative effects on Greece. The situation in Greece itself was unique. The high mountains, the length of these mountains, its warm climate and the fact that it is located in the middle of an active volcanic area have made Greece stand out from other civilizations. These characteristics of Greece make it one of the most interesting civilizations, which would later prosper and conquer most of the Mediterranean and influence other civilizations. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayOne of the positive effects caused by the geography of Greece was the mountains. It is meant that: “The Acropolis is a steep hill about 200 feet high. In 300 BC, the hill served as a large fort. This means that they had high positions and used it to their advantage to ensure their security, which allowed them to win many wars and become one of the most populous civilizations around 300 BC. Indeed, many civilizations around the world have admired Greece. and wanted to follow in their footsteps. A negative effect caused by Greece's geography was its geographical location. Greece's location was unique because Greece was located in the middle of an active volcanic area. “There are several active volcanoes and earthquakes are very frequent. The island of Santorini, Thera, was submerged after a volcanic eruption in 1450 BC, which destroyed the island civilization. The fact that Greece is located in the middle of a volcanic area has caused many deaths, fears and anxieties due to its unpredictable nature. Additionally, at this time the tectonic plates of Europe and Africa were shifting. Another positive effect caused by Greece's geography was its climate. Greece's climate is hot and dry, ideal for growing a specific fruit, olives. Since the best weather for growing olives is a hot, dry climate, Greece was the best place. They could grow a lot of olives and so traded them. It is mentioned that “...the Greeks traded olive oil throughout the Mediterranean for products like grains, perfumes, fabrics, dyes, beef and papyrus. » Additionally, olive oil was so valuable that when there were wars, the opposing team would cut down their olive trees. Finally, a negative effect caused by Greece's geography was that the mountains isolated each Greek-ruled city-state. This led the city-states to believe that they were their own countries, which unfortunately also meant that they fought a lot, especially in Sparta and Athens. “The city-states fought against each other, especially Sparta and Athens, who were bitter rivals and started the Peloponnesian War. » This explains that although they lived in Greece and supported Greece, they did not act like it. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The geography of Greece has affected it in both positive and negative ways. These paths crossed the mountains, location and climate. All these features play an important role in Greek geography, which later made it the most democratic civilization around 300 BC..