Ancient Civilizations Explained: From Sumerians to Romans

What Makes a Civilization "Ancient"?


What does it mean to be an ancient civilization? Does it refer to age? Age of a people, the age of the relics or ruins, or some inkling of contemporary history as told using ancient stone-carvings?
Realistic artwork divided into four scenes depicting the Sumerians writing on clay tablets, Egyptians building pyramids, Greeks debating before a temple, and Romans standing before an aqueduct.
From Sumer to Rome—four ancient civilizations that
 built the foundations of our world.

 Ancient civilization was not merely the concept of "old" or "long since gone", but they were remarkably advanced for their age. 
Ancient civilizations employed sophisticated systems of writing, complex governments, extensive trade, and elaborate cultural expressions millennia ago.
 Although there were no modern nations, society was forming the foundations of modern life. The term "ancient civilization" is typically associated with the time just before the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE, which is often considered to be the Sumerians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. 
These civilizations advanced life in some manner: architecture, law, government, trade, etc. The reason these civilizations give insight and value today is probably due to their (and our) mystery. How did Sumerians create ziggurats and Egyptians create pyramids without modern heavy machinery? How did they govern millions without the internet? These questions consume historians, educators, and ponderous minds. Let's take a look at what makes some of these important ancient civilizations why they provide a perspective of exploration and curiosity. You might find out how much of their world still exists in our own.

The Sumerians: Birth of Civilization


Let us consider the Sumerians. You know the Sumerians, right? The Sumerians may not be on the same level as the Roman Empire, but they are commonly proclaimed as the first true civilization we have in the human experience. They were located in Mesopotamia (Iraq), and the Sumerian cities of Ur and Uruk date back to around 3500 BCE. 
These people were not just here farming; they invented writing! Yes, cuneiform—our first instance of a written script, started in Sumer, and is your next time you read a blog, or text your friend, remember it all began with clay tablets and a stylus. 
The Sumerians were not just inventors of writing. The Sumerians invented early legal practices, the Sumerians built ziggurats (big step-temples), and the Sumerians tracked the stars to build a calendar. 
How did they accomplish this without any modern instruments? There is still debate on what happened. Yet we can see that the possibilities of human creativity are boundless in the form of civilization. Would you survive a Sumerian city-state, clothed in your wool coat, bartering for food in a busy market, praying to the gods of rain and sun, and adhering to strict codes of behaviour? It's worth exploring.


The Egyptians: Pyramids and Power


When you think of an ancient civilization, do you think of pyramids?  This shows how the ancient Egyptians influenced our way of thinking because they created a kingdom that lasted for over 3000 years while they floated along the Nile! The way the Egyptians built monumental architecture was more than just showing off. 
It was meant to represent a larger, more complete vision. It is a startling idea that the pharaoh was a god on Earth to care for humanity, and that any building project would be located within some socio-political or religious context. 
The Egyptians were also a society of pioneers in medicine, mathematics, and engineering-- knowledge and techniques that would benefit their responsibilities across a succession of challenging lives as they ultimately lived a materialistic existence grounded within artifacts and rituals. 
They had surgical procedures for animals, creating veterinary protocols. They documented every known malady on papyrus.
 Do you know they even aligned their pyramids to celestial bodies? Think about that concerning the understanding of architectures purely as structure—they had purpose, where they meant to symbolize cosmic order! 
Not only did the Egyptians have a complete writing system ( hieroglyphs, or glyphs and photos), but they also had a voluminous mythology of deities ascribed attributes, and supported by elaborate burial and funerary rites, to which countless individuals still rally around today. But, look beyond the gold masks and elaborate tombs; the Egyptians in their lifetimes grappled with unique challenges in a society bound to artifacts and ritual. 
Did you think you would have survived in such a highly governed, personal, and spiritually regulated civilization?

The Greeks: Philosophy, Politics, and Play


How often do you hear words like “democracy,” “philosophy,” or “Olympics?” You can thank ancient Greece for all of those terms. From around 800 BCE to 146 BCE, the Greeks developed concepts that would have an impact on Western civilization for centuries to come. Athens gave birth to democracy (however, only free male citizens could vote), while Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle changed how we think of knowledge, ethics, and government. Can you envision sitting in a stone amphitheater listening to a debate about justice or truth? It was not all about politics and philosophy, however. 
The Greeks also were fans of theater, sports, and the arts. If you have been mesmerized by athletes at the Olympics, it may not surprise you to learn that the Olympic Games marked a celebration of athletic prowess and unity held every four years in Olympia. Greek mythology is filled with gods, monsters, and valorous pursuits. Think about how many films have been inspired by these Greek myths. One of the central features of Greece was the prevalence of internal conflict. The city-states regularly fought against one another, and rarely shared the rights of citizenship equally, even in Athens’ democracy. While it is easy to admire what the Greeks established, it is worth asking: Would you have been an influential philosopher or a foot soldier?


The Romans: Builders of an Empire


Lastly, we reach the Romans, perhaps the most significant civilization in terms of historical legacy. 
Beginning with the founding of Rome in 753 BCE and ending with the collapse of the empire, the Romans had a substantial and lasting influence on the areas of law, engineering, language, and government. Ever heard the expression, “all roads lead to Rome”? Trust me, this is not just poetic license — the Romans built over 50,000 miles of roads throughout their empire! 
Their cities had aqueducts, public baths, and even indoor plumbing. Politically, Rome transitioned from a monarchy to a republic to an empire, introducing forms of law and citizenship that are still referenced today. Their language, Latin, is the foundation of many of the languages in Europe. But the Romans were not all glory; they engaged in some brutal wars, slavery, and political corruption. 
What I find particularly fascinating is how the Romans consumed and adapted ideas from the civilizations they conquered, especially the Greeks. If you were there back then, would you have been a senator debating laws in the forum, or would you have been a soldier posted at the edge of the empire, fighting to keep a boundary defined by the Romans? Either way, the story of Rome is an important and powerful lesson about empires: they all have a rise, they all evolve, and then they all fall, leaving behind a legacy that we still live with today.


About the Author:
I'm Ali Mujtuba Zaidi, a passionate history enthusiast who enjoys exploring how the past connects to our present. Through this blog, I share my thoughts and research on ancient civilizations, lost empires, and the lessons history teaches us today.

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