In Greek and Roman antiquity, an ambiguous relationship between man and nature developed, which decisively determined the manner in which the environment was treated. On the one hand, nature was conceived as a space characterized and inhabited by divine powers, which deserved appropriate respect. On the other, a rationalistic view emerged, according to which humankind was to temper nature by means of technical skills and dispose of its resources. This book systematically describes the areas in which ancient people intervened in the environment and thus traces the history of tension between the use of resources and the protection of nature, from the early Greek period to late antiquity. At the same time, it analyses the comprehensive opening up of the Mediterranean area and the northern frontier areas, both for settlement and for economic activity.