The ancient Greeks were pioneers in observing and classifying the Earth's climate zones. They recognized three primary climatic belts based on their understanding of the Earth's environment. These belts were:
Torrid Zone: This zone is the hottest part of the Earth, located near the equator. The Greeks believed it to be extremely warm because it lies where the sunlight strikes the Earth most directly. Today, we know this region as the tropical zone.
Temperate Zone: This area lies between the torrid and frigid zones. It experiences more moderate temperatures. The Greeks saw this as a **habitable** zone, with a climate suitable for a majority of human living. It corresponds to the mid-latitudes in modern geography.
Frigid Zone: This is the coldest area, positioned around the poles. The Greeks considered it extremely cold and largely uninhabitable due to its distance from the equator and the angle at which sunlight reaches these regions. Today, this relates to the polar regions.
Thus, the Greeks recognized these **three climatic belts**: Torrid, Temperate, and Frigid. This classification was an early attempt to systematically understand the Earth's climatic patterns using observable natural phenomena, such as sunlight and temperature differences.