GETTING STARTED WITH ETHICAL LIVING:
Five key tips

Embarking on the path to ethical living is a transformative journey that begins with small but intentional steps towards creating positive change in our lives and the world around us. Whether you're just starting out or looking to deepen your commitment to ethical living, here are five key tips to help you get started.

27/03/2024 . 1 min read

A Brief History of the Mediterranean: From Ancient Civilizations to Modern Times

The Mediterranean is more than a body of water — it’s been the stage for some of humanity’s greatest stories. For over 5,000 years, this sea has connected people across three continents, serving as a highway for trade, culture, religion, and ideas. To travel here is to step into a living museum, where every port has its own chapter in a shared history.

The Birthplace of Civilizations (c. 3000–1200 BCE)

Long before the modern world, great civilizations flourished along the Mediterranean’s shores:

• Ancient Egypt in North Africa built monumental pyramids and temples, trading gold, papyrus, and grain across the sea.

• The Minoans of Crete, Europe’s first advanced civilization, created vibrant frescoes, developed early writing, and built the palace of Knossos.

• The Phoenicians, skilled sailors from present-day Lebanon, founded trade hubs like Carthage and introduced an alphabet that influenced many later writing systems.

For these early cultures, the Mediterranean wasn’t a boundary — it was a bridge.

The Age of City-States and Empires (c. 1200–27 BCE)

The collapse of earlier civilizations led to the rise of new powers:

• The Ancient Greeks established city-states such as Athens, Sparta, and Corinth, and colonies stretching from modern-day Turkey to Spain. They gave the world democracy, drama, and philosophy.

• The Etruscans in Italy influenced Roman culture, architecture, and engineering.

Sea trade boomed, spreading olive oil, wine, pottery, and ideas across the region. Greek culture became a unifying force, laying the groundwork for what would follow.

Rome’s Mediterranean — Mare Nostrum (27 BCE–476 CE)

The Roman Empire transformed the Mediterranean into Mare Nostrum — “Our Sea.” With control over most of its coastline, Rome built roads, aqueducts, ports, and cities that still shape the region today.

• Goods like Egyptian grain, Spanish olive oil, and Syrian glass flowed across vast trade networks.

• Roman law, language (Latin), and architecture became the foundation for much of European culture.

• Monumental structures such as the Colosseum in Rome and the aqueduct of Segovia still stand as reminders of their power.

A Sea of Faiths and Frontiers (476–1500 CE)

After the fall of Rome, the Mediterranean remained a hub — but now it was divided among competing powers:

• The Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire) ruled from Constantinople, preserving Roman traditions and Christian heritage.

• The Arab Caliphates brought Islamic culture, science, and agriculture to North Africa, Spain, and parts of the eastern Mediterranean, introducing crops like citrus and innovations in navigation.

• The Crusades in the Middle Ages turned the sea into a battleground between Christian and Muslim powers, while also stimulating trade and cultural exchange.

• The Ottoman Empire eventually rose to dominate much of the eastern and southern Mediterranean, ruling for centuries.

During this period, the Mediterranean was a melting pot of religions — Christianity, Islam, and Judaism — often in conflict, but also in coexistence.

The Early Modern Mediterranean (1500–1800 CE)

The Renaissance and the Age of Exploration shifted some trade routes to the Atlantic, but the Mediterranean still thrived:

• Venice became a maritime powerhouse, controlling key trade between Europe and the East.

• Coastal cities grew wealthy from commerce in spices, silk, and precious metals.

• Naval rivalries between the Ottoman Empire, Spain, and other European powers shaped politics and warfare.

The Modern Mediterranean (1800–Present)

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Mediterranean was deeply affected by colonial ambitions, world wars, and the redrawing of borders.

• The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 reinforced its strategic importance.

• Both World Wars saw fierce battles in Mediterranean waters.

• After WWII, tourism transformed many coastal towns into international destinations.

Today, the Mediterranean is a mosaic of independent nations, each preserving its history while embracing modern life. Its ports welcome cruise ships alongside fishing boats, and its cities blend ancient ruins with bustling cafés.

Why History Matters When You Visit

Walking along the Mediterranean’s shores, you’re often treading on stones worn smooth by thousands of years of footsteps.

• A market in Morocco might sell spices once carried by Phoenician traders.

• A fishing village in Greece might use a harbor first built by the Romans.

• A coastal fortress in Malta might have withstood Ottoman sieges.

Every trip here is a journey through time — and understanding that history makes every view, meal, and conversation richer.