Andrew Cheon, Jeju
The ancient Greek world was generally an impressive era with numerous advancements in many areas from technology to literature. Yet, the different means of transportation were often rudimentary. Despite the seemingly sophisticated nature of ancient Greece, travelling was not one of the main areas of development. Not only travelling was difficult, but also it was not necessary in light of the fact that the majority of the population was farm workers.
terra firma:
What we now call Greece is a land composed of mountainous paths and rough landscapes that prohibited any smooth transportation in the ancient times. Of course, reaching somewhere over land was definitely not an easy task. The roads were also extremely scarce, and even if they did exist, it was very rare for them to be well constructed: most of the roads were merely cramped with dirt. Roads of better quality were typically for religious sites.
Cost:
Whether it was for transporting goods or carrying people, wagons, carriages and carts were all used. However, since they involved owning an animal, horses most of the time, those means of transportation involved high costs. This was mainly due to a lot of expenses to keep horses, including all the purchases for sustenance; only the wealthy were able to afford riding behind the horseback. As mules and donkeys were not as costly as sustaining horses, they offered transportation for more humble people. Chariots were also in use mainly during warfares as they could quickly remove injured soldiers from the battlefield.
Walking:
Taking into account the many reasons mentioned above, the most common form of transportation, whether for rich or poor, was to travel on foot. Walking was the most practical and reasonable way to travel through mountainous terrain; many ancient Greeks were generally healthy and physically fit due to a lot of walking. Also, as slavery was prevalent, while wealthy people indeed walked a lot, slaves would accompany them to carry their belongings and purchases. Even so, since travelling on foot was a stressful task, the ancient Greeks only traveled if it was of vital importance. For example, the Olympic Games, a religious and a sporting event, drew many people from many places.
Overseas:
Travelling by sea was actually the most preferable way to travel as it was not as complicated as travelling on land. They were highly skilled in navigation and shipbuilding, enabling them to actively trade across the Mediterranean sea. Greece is encircled by the Mediterranean sea and the Aegean sea and it was an optimal location for travel by boat. In the 5th Century BC the cost of sailing from the port of Piraeus to Aegina, 16 miles away, was about the price of a theatre admission.
Bibliography :
Hellenicaworld.com. 2021. Ancient Greeks, Images. [online] Available at: [Accessed 10 March 2021].
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History. 2021. Olympics Timeline: A Breakdown of the Ancient Olympics - History. [online] Available at: [Accessed 10 March 2021]. Pinterest. 2021. You Sank my Battle Ship! Trireme! | Ancient greece, Ancient, Ancient mariner. [online] Available at: [Accessed 10 March 2021].
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