Seafarers. The Greeks seem to have been a natural seafaring people whose lives were closely linked with the sea and ships. There are many metaphors and expressions in Greek literature that stem from the sea and sailing, and artistic motifs such as octopi, shells, and dolphins are found on coins, painted pottery, and colorful wall frescoes.

Mediterranean World. Seventy-two percent of the land that makes up Greece is within twenty-five miles of the sea, and there is evidence for travel and trade by sea in Greece as early as 7000 B.C.E. The Mediterranean has many islands, and the sailing seasons and winds are largely predictable (fierce storms are frequent during the winter months, however, so ships were usually laid up from early November to late March). Expertise in seafaring had political ramifications for the Greeks as well, both overseas and closer to...