Final answer:
The statement is false; Greek colonies established around 700 BC were multifunctional, focusing on trade and cultural expansion through the Mediterranean rather than solely supplying food.
Step-by-step explanation:
Colonies were first established by Greece around 700 BC to supply food; I would consider this statement false. While it is true that Greek colonization began around the 8th century BC, the colonies served a wider array of purposes than just food supply. These colonies were situated to take advantage of local resources, such as grain and timber, and emphasized trade across the Mediterranean. Furthermore, Greek colonies systematically produced olives and grapes for olive oil and wine due to the scarcity of certain resources in Greece.
Greek colonization was not solely about acquiring food but also about expanding the Greek civilization through trade, creating a shared culture, and relieving population pressure in the homeland of Greece due to its limited arable land. The necessity of being near the sea for all Greek colonies underscores their focus on maintaining trade routes. As such, these colonies often became independent city-states (polis), sharing in the cultural and social elements of Greek life.