Expansion. In comparison to other ancient cultures, one of the remarkable characteristics of Greek civilization is its mobility. While the Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations remained largely confined to the areas near the fertile river valleys in which they developed, the Greeks expanded from their humble beginnings in what is now Greece to places as distant as the straits of Gibraltar in the West and the shores of the Black Sea in the East. Greek merchants, travelers, and settlers plied the waters and trade routes from one end of the known world to the other, spreading Greek language and culture in their wake and bringing home not only overseas goods and products but new ideas as well. Many of the characteristics of the Greeks that are most admired, including their adaptability, inventiveness, and openness to new ways of thinking, can be ascribed in part to this traveling lifestyle.

Geography...