Ancient Civilizations

Ancient civilizations are the link to our past, the fore fathers of modern society. The ancient civilizations from history started small, they learned, they grew, they expanded, and now our modern civilization is built of the work done by them. Not only were the vast array of ancient civilizations diverse and unique in their nature, they often shared similar traits which shows just how similar humans are regardless of their continent or geographical location. The ancient civilizations are our key to understanding how life was then, how they lived, how they worked, their social structures and much much more.

We are going to cover some of the most interesting ancient civilizations ever to have existed. The trouble is the choice is difficult, as there are so many unique civilizations to choose from, but hopefully in time we will have them all covered.

The civilizations of Ancient Greece offered us much, with their mythology and superb architecture. The Spartans showed how a true military state can operate, and still have a deeply spiritual and philosophical side. The ancient Aztec, Inca and Mayan civilizations had truly unique traits that we may never see again. Their spiritual approach to life and the unique application of trades to their young which was favoured by the Mayans for example is so different from our current existence, its hard to imagine what it would have been like. These civilizations and many more have played a huge role in shaping the current worlds as we know it.

The origin of the ancient civilization

Civilizations arguably originated back in ancient times with the rise of the Neolithic periods which are thought to have started around 10,000 BC. During the Neolithic age humans would start to create technology in the form of stone tools to make life easier. This process of tool creation conforms to the idea that civilization is defined by culture or technology, and even though stone tools are primitive, in their time they were the height of advancement.

Later the Bronze ages would erupt, bringing the early civilizations new tools with which to further improve their lives. The discovery of metal would allow easy creation of farming tools, which saw the manufacture of crops flourish around the world from Asia all the way to Europe. Human kind was fast evolving and this would be the start and foundation of many modern civilizations that exist to this day.

The term civilization

The term civilization itself is defined as a stage of development either cultural or technical, and can also be attributed to a system of record keeping. The term is also defined as the refinement of manners, taste and in thinking, which alludes to how civilizations are indeed civil.

The term civilis which means civil is related to a Latin word civis which alludes to a state or a city, and civilization is an adaptation on these words.

Important civilizations of the ancient world

Throughout history many civilizations have existed, shaping modern existence as we know it. Some of the ancient civilization have shown us the way to move forward, while some have highlighted what not to do. Other civilizations have allowed us to build upon their successes saving time and effort in creating the modern tools and technologies we use everyday. Either way we owe a debt to all the civilizations that have gone before us.

Some of the more important civilizations from history, is of course speculative but these are some of the most important civilizations in our opinion.

Ancient China are another civilization worthy of note, not only did they place heavy emphasis on elected governments over wealth or influence, but they were far advanced for their time in many areas too.

The Romans really don’t need much of an introduction, and their rule over parts of Europe brought many advancements to the area. The Romans had defined class systems and were incredibly industrious, bringing advanced building and construction techniques to light. The Roman army was tightly knit, organised and a small Roman unit was more than capable of holding its own against a much larger and less organised force.

Ancient Greece is another civilisation that was comprised of many parts. From the might Athenians, to the military focused Spartans, the ancient Greeks were not afraid of war and battle, and feared no man, whether he was from Persia or from another part of Greece.

Speaking of the mighty Persian empires, it would be rude to not at least mention this intriguing civilization. The Persians were located in the Iranian plateau, and in modern day times would be roughly the area of Iran. The Persian empire was in reality a series of empires with the most far reaching thought to be the Achaemenid Empire which was of course involved in the many battles with ancient Greece and Sparta.

The Egyptians were not only unique in their style and dress, they also had deep beliefs in their gods and the afterlife, building massive pyramids that were big enough to almost touch the sky. The majesty and immense size of their constructions ensured ancient Egypt place as one of the most interesting ancient civilizations ever.

Ancient China was not only a powerhouse of the time, it also marked the various stages in its history as dynasties, starting with the early Xia dynasty back around 2070 BC. Ancient China was allegedly born from the legendary five emperors, the original rules of china.

The South American and Mexican tribes, the Aztec’s, Mayans, and the Incas all had their unique take on civilization, each bearing many unique traits that not only mark them out from many other civilizations of the time, but etch then into the history of our modern world. Their amazing temples, pyramids and unique approach life and death.

the ancient civilizations of the past offer plenty of information and facts that we can use in our everyday lives. The ancient civilizations of the past are our links to those eras, those days and also a clue to how we live now. From the military focused Spartans, to the spiritual Mayans and the regimented and forward thinking Romans, the ancient civilizations of the past were truly spectacular.

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