At various points in history, different types of civilizations have emerged. From the Greeks to the Egyptians to the Romans, these civilizations have had significant global impacts on culture and society. Below, you will find out how ancient civilizations shaped our world just as much as they did their own. Here are some of the ancient civilizations.

Agriculture – the basis of civilization

The agriculture that emerged in the ancient civilizations of the Middle East, Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), and China laid the foundation for many of civilization’s institutions. Cultivation of crops, generation of food surpluses, and animal domestication methods all became regular in these societies.

Mesopotamia

The civilizations in Mesopotamia (Iraq and Iran), the Fertile Crescent, emerged in the Tigris-Euphrates river region between ca. 3500 BC and 2500 BC. Mesopotamia was a region that became the center of many different civilizations, including Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian, and Persian. The great building achievements of these civilizations changed the way people interacted with their world.

Babylon

The Babylonian society was the first complex civilization in the region. While they were known for their great building achievements like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, they also made significant contributions to mathematics and astronomy. Their development of a calendar and their division of days into 12-hour intervals helped shape modern calendars. They also improved on the knowledge of Sumerians and came up with a sexagesimal (base 60) number system.

Ancient Egypt

The first Egyptian dynasty, the Early Dynastic Period, occurred between Ca. 3100 BC and 2700 BC. Some of these include the construction of the Great Pyramids, mummification, hieroglyphic writing, art work depicting scenes of warfare and hunting, and an improved calendar system. The unification of Egypt by King Menes in ca. 3100 BC marked the beginning of Egypt’s Golden Age, where they would thrive for another thousand years.

Ancient Crete

The Minoan Civilization was an ancient civilization that flourished on the island of Crete, between ca. 3000 BC and 1100 BC. They were the first civilization to build large cities with high-rise buildings, paved roads, standard-sized bricks for wall construction, purpose-built drainage systems, and advanced irrigation systems.

Ancient China

The Zhou Dynasty was the longest-lasting dynasty in ancient China. Established by King Wu in 1046 BC, Zhou China first emerged as seven independent states, each vying for control. The Zhou people had skills in creating bronze vessels, pottery, and tools out of bronze. They were also skilled at making iron weapons, but they would not make many because they still preferred bronze weapons over iron weapons.

Ancient Meso-America and South America

The Olmec civilization flourished in the coastal regions of Mesoamerica and South America between 1500 BC and 100 BC. They were contemporaries of the great civilizations in Mesopotamia and Egypt. The Olmecs practiced a form of worship they called San Lorenzo (Land of the Sun). They were also skilled builders who created spectacular architecture like pyramids and raised-field systems.

Conclusion

The development of civilization is something that has been happening since the beginning of time. Every generation of people has favored some types of lifestyles over others, and we have continued to strive for more and better things throughout our history. Coupled with advancements in technology and knowledge, we have progressed through the ages and find ourselves living in a new century.