What were the most influential ancient civilizations throughout history?

  • Thread starter chound
  • Start date
In summary: Technological advancement is often quantified in terms of how many patents a country has produced, or how many Nobel prize winners they have. That might be something to consider for 2)3) There are many measures of medical advancement, but I think it would be interesting to try to quantify things like life expectancy or the quality of medical care. 4) It would be interesting to see if there are any objective measures of the planning of cities, or the aesthetics of architecture. 5) It's tough to say, since there's no agreed upon definition of 'sustainable development.' But maybe things like economic growth that does not deplete the resources of a given area over time could be considered?
  • #1
chound
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What were the best civilisations/country/empire/kingdom in:
1)before 1000B.C.
2)1000BC-500BC
3)500BC-250BC
4)250BC-0
5)0-500AD
6)500-1000AD
7)1000AD-1500AD
8)1500AD-1875AD
9)Now
 
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  • #2
I think it is safe to say the Roman Empire was the greatest civilization ever. It lasted well over 2 thousand years from 752 BC to 1476AD
 
  • #3
Well, by 1476 the Eastern Roman Empire was a Greek speaking oriental empire. By that standard there was just one (occasionally two) Chinese empire from Shang times to Sun Yat Sen, or around three thousand years.
 
  • #4
Could elaborate on what you mean by "best"?
 
  • #5
best- not in size but in the
1)quality of life of people
2)technological andvances
3)advancement in medicine
4)planning of cities
5)sustainable development
6)good practices and moral health of people
 
  • #6
Your #1 and #6 will need some elaboration ... life was good in ancient Greece - except if you were a slave (in which case it was pretty horrible); life is pretty good in modern Saudi Arabia - except if you are a woman. So, how would you like to balance a wonderful quality of life for a few against a miserable quality of life for many?

On #5, I think it's accurate to say that there have been no 'civilizations' that were/are close to having 'sustainable development' - since the development of agriculture, it's been pretty much 'drawing down the capital account' for everyone.

Interesting exercise though, how would you expand each of these criteria into quasi-objective measures?
 
  • #7
This is becoming interesting, but the question is not easily answered objectively, and I don't think a short answer can do justice to everyone. There are so many variables.

For 1) The U.N. comes out with a list each year ranking the quality of life in each country. Maybe that would qualify for 1 in the present, although even their system is probably very debatable.
 

1. What are considered the best ancient civilizations?

Some of the most well-known ancient civilizations that are often considered the best include the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Mayan, and Incan civilizations. However, there are many other fascinating ancient civilizations that have made significant contributions to human history.

2. How were these ancient civilizations able to thrive and succeed?

There are several factors that contributed to the success of ancient civilizations, including advancements in agriculture, trade networks, strong leadership, and cultural and technological developments. These civilizations also had access to abundant natural resources, which allowed them to build impressive structures and monuments.

3. What impact did ancient civilizations have on modern society?

Ancient civilizations have had a profound impact on modern society. They laid the foundation for many aspects of our lives, including language, art, architecture, technology, and political systems. Many of the ideas and innovations from these civilizations are still used and studied today.

4. What led to the downfall of these ancient civilizations?

There is no single answer to this question as each ancient civilization had its own unique set of circumstances that led to its decline. Some possible factors include natural disasters, invasions by other civilizations, political instability, and environmental degradation. However, it is important to note that many ancient civilizations also experienced periods of decline and resurgence before their ultimate downfall.

5. How do we continue to learn about ancient civilizations?

Researchers and scientists use a variety of methods to learn about ancient civilizations, including archaeological excavations, analysis of artifacts and written records, and scientific techniques such as radiocarbon dating. Additionally, advancements in technology have allowed us to uncover new information and gain a deeper understanding of these civilizations.

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