The Minoans location in the crossroads of the eastern Mediterranean was ideal for conducting trade with Asia, the Nile Valley, and the Middle East. Mycenaean civilization differed from the Minoans because they did not use warfare to gain control of the seas Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle contribute to the formation of modern democratic governments by contemplating the purpose and structure of government Euclid and Pythagoras most directly influenced modern engineering and architecture Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle sought greater understanding through challenging unexamined