Final answer:
Previous civilizations like Egypt and Mesopotamia had plentiful natural resources and fertile land due to their great rivers, which ancient Greece lacked. Instead, Greece's geography was less hospitable, with poor, rocky soil and a scarcity of natural resources, leading to a reliance on seafaring trade and a warlike culture.
Step-by-step explanation:
What Did Previous Civilizations Have That Ancient Greece Had Few Of?
Previous civilizations, such as ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, had many natural resources and fertile lands due to great rivers like the Nile in Egypt or the Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia. In contrast, ancient Greece was characterized by mountains, hills, and scrubland with poor, rocky soil, making agriculture more challenging.
Greece lacked large river systems to provide the fertile soil that was fundamental to the development of civilizations like Egypt and Mesopotamia. As such, ancient Greece also had very few mineral deposits or other natural resources that could be easily used or traded with other lands.
This scarcity led the Mycenaeans, the ancestors of the ancient Greeks, to heavily rely on the sea for trade, cultivating crops such as olives and grapes that were in high demand across the ancient world.
The challenges posed by Greece's geography may have contributed to the region's historical development, from its seafaring prowess to the distinct development of its warfare and political systems.
The lack of extensive fertile lands and natural resources greatly influenced the Mycenaeans to turn to the sea for trade and to engage in raiding for wealth and resources.