The Ancient Greek, Chinese and Maya civilizations

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6. The Ancient Greek Civilization

Civilization Name: Greek civilization

Period: 2700 BC–479 BC

Original Location: Italy, Sicily, North Africa, and as far west as France

Current Location: Greece

Major Highlights: Concepts of democracy and the Senate, the Olympics

The ancient Greeks may not have been the oldest civilization, but they are doubtlessly one of the most influential. Even though the rise of ancient Greece came from the Cycladic and Minoan civilizations (2700 BC–1500 BC), there is evidence of burials in the Franchthi Cave in Argolid, Greece, dating back to around 7250 BC. The history of this civilization is spread over such a long period of time that historians have divided it into different periods, the most popular of them being the Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods. These periods saw a number of ancient Greeks come into the limelight, many of whom changed the world forever and are still being talked about to this day.

Among other things, the Greeks invented the ancient Olympics, and formed the concept of democracy and the Senate. They laid the foundations for modern geometry, biology, and physics. Pythagoras, Archimedes, Socrates, Euclid, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great… the history books are full of these names whose inventions, theories, beliefs, and heroics have had a significant impact on subsequent civilizations.

5. The Chinese Civilization

Civilization Name: Chinese civilization

Period: 1600 BC–1046 BC

Original Location: Yellow River and Yangtze region

Current Location: Country of China

Major Highlights: Invention of paper and silk

Ancient China – also known as Han China – comes in at number five and doubtlessly has one of the most diverse histories. In fact, if you consider all the dynasties from the very first to the very last that ever ruled in China, a significantly huge period of time needs to be covered.

The Yellow River civilization is said to be the beginning of the entire Chinese civilization as this is where the earliest dynasties were based. It was around 2700 BC that the legendary Yellow Emperor began his rule, which later led to the birth of many dynasties that went on to rule mainland China.

In 2070 BC, the Xia dynasty became the first to rule the whole of China as described in ancient historical chronicles. From then on, there were a number of dynasties that held control during different periods of time until the end of the Qing dynasty in 1912 AD with the Xinhai Revolution. This marked the end of more than four millennia of ancient Chinese civilization. By this time, however, the Chinese had given the world some of its most useful inventions and products such as gunpowder, paper, printing, the compass, alcohol, cannons, and many more.

4. The Maya Civilization

Civilization Name: Maya civilization

Period: 2600 BC–900 AD

Original Location: Around present-day Yucatan

Current Location: Yucatan, Quintana Roo, Campeche, Tabasco, and Chiapas in Mexico and south through Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and Honduras

Major Highlights: Complex understanding of astronomy

The ancient Maya civilization flourished in Central America from about 2600 BC and has been much talked about because of the calendar it introduced. Once established, the Mayan civilization went on to prosper and become highly sophisticated with a booming population of about 19 million at its peak. By 700 BC, the Mayans had already devised their own system of writing which they used to create solar calendars carved in stone. According to them, the world was created on August 11, 3114 BC, which is the date from which their calendar begins. The supposed end date was December 21, 2012.

The ancient Mayans were culturally rich compared to many of their contemporary civilizations, and the Mayans and Aztecs both built pyramids, many of which are larger than those in Egypt. But the sudden decline and abrupt end of the Mayans has long been one of ancient history’s most intriguing mysteries: Why did the Mayans, a remarkably sophisticated civilization made up of more than 19 million people, suddenly collapse sometime during the eighth or ninth century? The Maya people did not disappear completely; however, their descendants still live in parts of Central America.’ (Source)

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