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Different nomadic Greek tribes moving into mainland Greece 3000 years ago, after pillaging the countryside, had little option but to start farming themselves to gain a living. These farming centres also started fortify a hill (acropolis) to act as a refuge against other interlopers. These citadels expanded to become cities to accommodate a growing population and commercial activities, and also developed cultural activities.

Each city had it's land and commerce, was self-sufficient and so wanted to retain it's independence. There was interaction between the cities - commercial, social and religious commonality drove this, but self-interest kept the cities independent, and their perceived individual rights and interests continued to drive both independence and inter-city warfare. The latter brought cities into shifting alliances but not into political union, so they remained separate city-states.

The Greeks were such great breeders that not even plagues, famines and wars could stop the populations of successful cites exploding, and as the farmers' plots of land were small and the soil poor, the surplus populations were periodically sent off to found new cities, and these new cities eventually felt the squeeze and sent out colonies of their own. In this way, Greek cities spread all around the Mediterranean and Black Seas - to southern France, Sicily, Italy, North Africa, Asia Minor, the Islands and southern Russia. The cities which today have 'polis' (city) in their name tell the story (eg Naples - Italian Napoli - comes from Greek Nea Polis = New City).

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Izaiah Lubowitz

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3y ago

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How did the Greece's mountainous terrain and its series of small islands influence the ancient Greeks develop?

a political system based on independent city-states


What were the laws in Ancient Greece?

Ancient Greece comprised several hundred independent city-states, each of which had its own laws. Can you refine the question.


What years was the greek empire in power?

There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.


What was ancient Greece broken up into?

Ancient greece was divided into isolated communities because of the mountains in Greece. Over 70% of Greece is mountains, and the mountains made communication between cities hard. This blocked the exchange of ideas, which resulted in all of the cities having different societies, governments, and values


What geographical feature encouraged the development of independent city states in Ancient Greece?

The Greek archipelago.

Related Questions

How did the Greece's mountainous terrain and its series of small islands influence the ancient Greeks develop?

a political system based on independent city-states


What was the independent country in Ancient Greece?

Ancient Greece comprised over 2,000 independent city-states spread around the Mediterranean and Black Seas.


What did Greece's mountainous terrain and series of small islands influence the ancient Greeks to develop?

a political system based on independent city-states


What linked independent city states of ancient Greece?

greek language and culture


What were the laws in Ancient Greece?

Ancient Greece comprised several hundred independent city-states, each of which had its own laws. Can you refine the question.


What is the flag of ancient Greece?

Ancient Greece was comprised of about 2000 independent city-states. Thy had no flag.


Was ancient Greece fiercely independent or a united country?

Ancient Greece was not united - it was comprised of about 2,000 independent city-states spread around the Mediterranean and Black Seas. These city-states were fiercyl independent, and fought each other with monotonous regularity and destruction.


What years was the greek empire in power?

There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.There never was a Greek empire. Ancient Greece consisted of independent city-states which only united in times of dire crises. When the crises was over, the city-states returned to their independent way of life.


What was ancient Greece broken up into?

Ancient greece was divided into isolated communities because of the mountains in Greece. Over 70% of Greece is mountains, and the mountains made communication between cities hard. This blocked the exchange of ideas, which resulted in all of the cities having different societies, governments, and values


What links the independent city-states of ancient Greece together?

greek language and culture


Would Greece count as a city-state?

Ancient Greece would be considered a large number of independent and semi-independent city-states, but Modern Greece is a nation-state, a republic. Modern city states include places like Vatican City, Monaco, Liechtenstein, or Nauru.


Which geographic factor contributed to the formation of independent city states in Ancient Greece?

mountainous topography