Sparta, located at the extreme south of the Balkan peninsula was favored by its landscapes. Possessing large areas of fertile land, it had a self-sustained agriculture, and could afford having restrict commerce policies. Therefore, <u>they did not depend on sea commerce to survive</u>.
Athens, on other hand, was marked by uneven landscapes, unfit for farming, therefore depended a lot on commerce and because of that, expanded its trades throughout the Aegean Sea, with the islands and coastal cities around it, that would benefit greatly from this.
