Knowra Ancient history Ancient history Ancient history studies civilizations and societies from the earliest written records through antiquity, using texts, material remains, and other evidence to reconstruct the past.
Archaeology : The study of past human societies through the excavation and analysis of material remains. Excavated settlements and objects often supply evidence unavailable in ancient texts.
Ancient Egypt : The civilization of the Nile Valley, characterized by centralized kingship, distinctive religious traditions, and hieroglyphic writing. Its long chronology and abundant records make it a major setting for ancient historical study.
Herodotus : A Greek author of the fifth century BCE whose Histories recount conflicts and customs across the ancient world. His work is an early surviving example of inquiry into past events and peoples.
Primary source : Evidence produced during or close to the period being studied, including documents, objects, and testimony. Ancient historians interpret surviving evidence rather than rely on complete records.
Classical tradition : The reception and reuse of Greek and Roman literature, art, political ideas, and learning in later societies. Later cultures repeatedly selected and reinterpreted ancient Greek and Roman inheritances.
Epigraphy : The study of inscriptions written on durable materials such as stone, metal, and pottery. Inscriptions provide dated records, public claims, and everyday details from antiquity.
Ancient Mesopotamia : The ancient societies of the Tigris–Euphrates region, including Sumer, Akkad, Babylonia, and Assyria. Its early cities and written records anchor the study of the ancient Near East.
Thucydides : A Greek historian of the fifth century BCE who wrote an account of the Peloponnesian War. His analysis of evidence and political causes influenced later approaches to historical writing.
Radiocarbon dating : A method for estimating the age of once-living material by measuring its radioactive carbon content. It can date organic remains when written chronologies are absent or uncertain.
Roman law : The legal rules and institutions developed in ancient Rome and transmitted through later legal traditions. Roman legal concepts influenced legal systems long after the empire's political collapse.
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