Final answer:
The sea was important to the Ancient Greeks as it provided trade opportunities, sustainable resources like olives and grapes, and also acted as a means for exploration. They relied on the sea for trade with other lands and used it to navigate the Mediterranean and surrounding regions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ancient Greeks relied heavily on the sea and used it for various purposes. One reason the sea was important to the Greeks was because Greece had difficult living conditions with mountains, hills, and poor soil. Unlike other civilizations, Greece lacked great rivers and mineral deposits, so the sea became a vital resource for trade and sustenance.
The ancient Greeks used the sea for trading with other lands, including Egypt, Hittites, and other Mediterranean cultures. They established a merchant marine fleet to facilitate trade. Sea trade allowed them to cultivate olives for olive oil and grow grapes for wine, which were highly profitable products in demand throughout the ancient world.
The Greeks also relied on the sea for exploration. Their immediate knowledge of the world extended to the coasts of the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, Egypt, and Persia. However, due to the naval garrison maintained by Carthaginians at the straits of Gibraltar, Greek sailors were unable to directly reach the Atlantic, limiting their knowledge of lands beyond.