agriculture review

Why Was Farming Difficult In Ancient Greece

by aditya abhishek

Greece

This beautiful country with remarkable history is situated on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula, & is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Greece is known as the cradle of western civilization. Western philosophy, ideology, literature, and scientific research started in Greece. That's why people are so curious about this country.  

So why in such a glorious country, farming was difficult? Everything will become crystal clear if you look closely at the geography of Greece. So, let's start...

Soil

For successful cultivation of crops, we need well-draining, fertile soil. But, in Greece, only 20% of the land was productive. The rest part was filled with rocky, dry soil. 

Slope

The land is not entirely flat in Greece. It is full of mountains and islands where cultivating crops is difficult. On the plain ground, it is easy to manage irrigation, tillage, etc.  

Irrigation Water

Fresh irrigation water was not readily available in Greece. Seas still surround it, and no major freshwater river exists in the country. 

Despite this fact, the farmers of Greece were hard-working. Nearly 80% of the population was involved in agricultural activities. It was the backbone of Greece's economy. 

Significant crops that Greece farmers used to cultivate were Wheat, Barley, Olives, Grapes, Cucumbers, Onions, Lettuce, etc. 

thanks for reading!

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