Greece was known as the “birthplace of Western civilization” because its culture became the epitome of subsequent Western civilizations. Ancient Greek geography had many positive and negative effects on Greece. Precisely the position of Greece itself was unique. The high mountains, their length, the warm climate and the fact that it is located in the middle of an active volcanic area made Greece stand out from other civilizations. These characteristics of Greece make it one of the most interesting civilizations, which will later prosper and conquer much of the Mediterranean and influence other civilizations. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayA positive effect caused by the geography of Greece was the mountains. This means that “The Acropolis is a steep hill about 200 feet high.” In 300 BC the hill was used as a large fort." This means that they had high ground and used it to their advantage to keep themselves safe, which allowed them to win many wars and become one of the most populous civilizations around 300 BC. In fact, many civilizations around the world looked to Greece and they wanted to follow in their footsteps. One negative effect caused by Greece's geography was its location. Greece's location was unique because it was located in the middle of an active volcanic area. “There are several active volcanoes and earthquakes are very common. Thera's Santorini island was sunk after a volcanic eruption in 1450 BC, which destroyed the island's civilization. Since Greece is located in the middle of a volcanic area, many deaths, fears and anxieties have been caused due to the unpredictable nature. Furthermore, during this period the tectonic plates of Europe and Africa were moving. Another positive effect caused by Greece's geography was its climate. The climate of Greece is hot and dry, ideal for growing a specific fruit, olives. Since the best climate to grow olives is a hot/dry climate, Greece was the best place. They were able to grow many olives, so they traded them. It is said that "...the Greeks traded olive oil throughout the Mediterranean for products such as grain, perfume, textiles, dyes, beef and papyrus." Furthermore, olive oil was so valuable that when there were wars, the opposing team cut down their olive trees. Finally, a negative effect caused by Greece's geography was that the mountains isolated any Greek-led city-states. This caused the city-states to believe they were their own country, which unfortunately also meant they fought a lot, especially 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 behave accordingly. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The geography of Greece has affected it in both positive and negative ways. These ways were through mountains, location and climate. All these features play an important role in Greek geography, which would later make it the most democratic civilization around 300 BC.