Final answer:
Farming in Ancient Greece was difficult due to poor soil and challenging terrain, but it allowed for a diet richer than in many other ancient agricultural societies. The Greeks relied on trade and the sea due to the land's limitations. Agriculture led to permanent settlements and specialization but also to increased working hours, altering lifestyles and social structures.
Step-by-step explanation:
No, farming was not extremely easy for those who lived in the Ancient Greek civilization. The geographical features of Greece included mountainous terrain and poor, rocky soil, which presented significant challenges to agricultural productivity. Unlike civilizations such as Egypt or Mesopotamia that benefited from fertile soil provided by rivers, the Greeks had to contend with less-than-ideal farming conditions. This difficult environment forced the Mycenaeans to rely heavily on the sea for trade and sustenance.
Despite these challenges, evidence shows that ordinary people in Ancient Greece had access to meat and a rich diet that might have seemed luxurious compared to other contemporary farming societies. The development of agriculture, starting with simple technologies like a pointed stick and progressing to the plow, allowed families to grow surplus crops, settle down, and transition from a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle to one of farming and specialization. As cities grew, so did systems of exchange where goods and services, including the products of farming, were traded for other necessities.
It's also important to note that early agricultural societies, including Ancient Greece, spent more hours engaged in labor-intensive farming compared to the hunting-gathering societies, which generally had more leisure time. The transition to agriculture was also associated with increased working hours, particularly affecting women. Nonetheless, agriculture was a critical step that allowed for the establishment of permanent settlements and the eventual rise of civilizations.