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Home / Periods / Ancient World

Period

Ancient World

c. 3.3 million BCE–550 CE

Ancient World brings together the long human story before surviving written records with the first cities, kingdoms, empires and literary cultures of the ancient era. Its more specific settings range from prehistoric societies and archaeological cultures to Egypt, the Near East, India, China, Greece, Persia, Carthage and Rome.

The scope is deliberately broad, extending from early humanity through the late-antique transition of the sixth century. Prehistory remains distinct from literate ancient states and empires, while regional contexts preserve the very different political, religious and social traditions that developed across Africa, Asia and the Mediterranean.

Related people for Ancient World

Absalom1010 BCE–979 BCE Aeschylus526 BCE–457 BCE Agrippina the Younger15–59 Ahhotep I1561 BCE–1531 BCE Ahmose-Nefertari1563 BCE–1496 BCE Ahmose I1561 BCE–1526 BCE Akhenatenc. 15th century BCE–1337 BCE Alaric Ic. 370–410 Alexander Heliosborn 41 BCE Alexander Jannaeusc. 126–76 BCE Alexander of Lyncestisc. 5th century BCE–331 BCE Alexander the Great357 BCE–324 BCE Allectusdied 296 Amanirenasborn c. 1st century BCE Ammianus Marcellinus330–395 Amnonc. 12th century BCE–c. 11th century BCE Antigonus I Monophthalmusc. 382–301 BCE Antinous111–130 Antiochus II Theos286–246 BCE Antiochus IV Epiphanesc. 215–164 BCE Antipater398 BCE–320 BCE Antipater of Sidonc. 3rd century BCE–c. 2nd century BCE Antoninafl. 6th century; died after 565 Apepic. 17th century BCE–1541 BCE Apollonius of Rhodes296 BCE–216 BCE Appianc. 95–c. 165 CE Archimedesc. 287–212 BCE Aristidesc. 530–468 BCE Aristophanes446 BCE–386 BCE Aristotle385 BCE–323 BCE Arminius18 BCE–21 Arrianc. 85/90–c. 160 Arsinoe IV of Egyptc. 68/63–41 BCE Artabanus IV of Parthiadied 224 CE Ataulfc. 4th century–415 Atossa550–475 BCE Attilac. 5th century–453 Augustus64 BCE–14 Aulus Caecina Severus44 BCE–c. 1st century Aulus Gabiniusdied 47 BCE Aulus Plautius6 BCE–57 Aëtiusc. 390s–454 Bagoasc. 5th century BCE–c. 4th century BCE Balbinus178–238 Belisarius505–565 Boudica30–61 Britannicus41–55 Caesarion47–30 BCE Calgacusborn c. 1st century Caligula12–41 Caracalla188–217 Caratacus15–54 Carausiusdied 293 Cartimanduac. 1st century–69 Cassander356 BCE–297 BCE Catilinec. 108–62 BCE Cato the Younger95–46 BCE Catullusc. 84–c. 54 BCE Cicero107 BCE–44 BCE Cimonc. 510–450 BCE Claudia Acte40–c. 1st century Claudia Octavia40–62 Claudius11 BCE–54 Cleopatra70 BCE–31 BCE Cleopatra Selene II41 BCE–6 BCE Clodiaborn 96 BCE Clodius Albinus150–197 Commodus161–192 Confucius551 BCE–479 BCE Constantine the Great272–337 Constantius Chlorusc. 250–306 Constantius Gallus325–354 Constantius II317–361 Constantius III370–421 Crispusc. 300–326 Crixusdied 72 BCE Cunobelinec. 2nd century BCE–43 Darius Ic. 550–486 BCE Darius III381 BCE–331 BCE David1040 BCE–970 BCE Decebalusc. 1st century–106 Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus86 BCE–44 BCE Didius Julianus133–193 Dinah1701 BCE–1591 BCE Diocletianc. 240s–316 Dion of Syracuse410 BCE–355 BCE Dionysius II of Syracuse398 BCE–344 BCE Domitian51–96 Elagabalus203–222 Epictetus50–138 Eugenius345–394 Euripidesc. 480s BCE–c. 400s BCE Eurydice II of Macedon337 BCE–318 BCE Eusebiac. 4th century–360 Faustac. 289–326 Fulviac. 83/77–40 BCE Gaisericc. 389–477 Gaius Cassius Longinus83 BCE–43 BCE Gaius Julius Civilisc. 25–after 70 Gaius Marius158 BCE–87 BCE Gaius Servilius Glaucia143 BCE–101 BCE Gaius Suetonius Paulinus10–c. 60s Gaius Terentius Varrodied c. 3rd century BCE Galba4 BCE–69 Galla Placidia386–450 Gallienus218–268 Germanicus16 BCE–19 Geta189–211 Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo7–67 Gnaeus Julius Agricola40–93 Gnaeus Mallius Maximusfl. 105 BCE Gordian I159–238 Gordian IIc. 190s–238 Gordian III225–244 Gratian359–383 Hadrian76–138 Hamilcar Barcac. 275–229/228 BCE Hannibal247–c. 183 BCE Hasdrubal Barcac. 245–207 BCE Hattusili IIIc. 14th century BCE–c. 14th century BCE Hephaestionc. 356 BCE–324 BCE Herod Antipasborn 21 BCE Herodotus485 BCE–426 BCE Herod the Great75 BCE–5 BCE Hesiodborn 777 BCE Hipparchus6th century BCE–514 BCE Honorius384–423 Horace66 BCE–9 BCE Jacob1792 BCE–1645 BCE Jesus Christc. 6–4 BCE–c. 30/33 CE Joabc. 12th century BCE–971 BCE John the Baptist7 BCE–30 Josephus37–100 Juba IIc. 48 BCE–23 CE Judahborn 1567 BCE Judah Maccabeed. 160 BCE Judas Iscariotdied c. 30s Julia Domnac. 160–217 Julia Mamaea180–235 Julian331–363 Julius Caesar101 BCE–45 BCE Justinian Ic. 483–565 Juvenal55–c. 2nd century Kamosereigned c. 1555–1550 BCE Leah1732 BCE–1666 BCE Leonidas Idied 481 BCE Levi1567 BCE–1430 BCE Libanius314–393 Liciniusc. 265–325 Livia60 BCE–29 Livy60 BCE–17 Lucan39–65 Lucius Aemilius Paullusdied 217 BCE Lucius Appuleius Saturninus131 BCE–101 BCE Lucius Cornelius Cinna136 BCE–85 BCE Lucretiusc. 99–c. 55 BCE Lucullus118 BCE–58 BCE Lysanderd. 395 BCE Macrinusc. 164–218 Magnus Maximus335–388 Magoc. 243–203/202 BCE Majorianc. 420–461 Marciac. 2nd century–193 Marcus Aemilius Lepidusc. 90–13 BCE Marcus Aurelius121–180 Marcus Claudius Marcellus271 BCE–209 BCE Marcus Junius Brutus86 BCE–43 BCE Marcus Licinius Crassus116 BCE–54 BCE Marcus Oclatinius Adventusc. 160–218 Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa64 BCE–13 BCE Mardoniusc. 7th century BCE–480 BCE Mark Antony83–30 BCE Martialc. 40–c. 104 Mary Magdalenedied c. 1st century Mathosdied 238 BCE Maxentius278–312 Maximianc. 250–310 Maximinus Thrax173–238 Maximus of Ephesus310–372 Messalina20–48 Miltiades555 BCE–490 BCE Mithridates VI of Pontus135 BCE–64 BCE Nathanc. 11th century BCE–c. 11th century BCE Nefertari1291 BCE–1256 BCE Nefertitic. 1370–c. 1330 BCE Nero37–68 Nerva30–98 Octavia the Youngerc. 69–11 BCE Odaenathusc. 220s–267 Odoacer433–493 Olympias376 BCE–317 BCE Ovid44 BCE–17 Parmenion401 BCE–330 BCE Paul the Apostle5–66 Pentawer1174 BCE–1156 BCE Perdiccas366 BCE–322 BCE Periclesc. 495–429 BCE Pertinax126–193 Pescennius Nigerc. 135/140–194 Petroniusc. 27–66 Philip III of Macedon360 BCE–318 BCE Philip II of Macedonc. 382–336 BCE Philip V of Macedon238–179 BCE Phraates IV of Parthiadied 2 BCE Platoc. 420s BCE–c. 340s BCE Plautusc. 254–184 BCE Pliny the Elder23/24–79 Plotinus205–270 Plutarchc. 46–after 119 CE Polybiusc. 200–c. 118 BCE Polycrates575 BCE–523 BCE Pompey106–48 BCE Pontius Pilatusfl. c. 26–36 CE Poppaea Sabina30–65 Postumusc. 3rd century–269 Priscus of Epirus305–395 Procopiusc. 5th century–565 Ptolemy I Soter369/368–282 BCE Ptolemy IX Lathyros143 BCE–82 BCE Ptolemy X Alexander I141 BCE–89 BCE Ptolemy XII Auletesc. 117–51 BCE Ptolemy XIII Theos Philopator63 BCE–48 BCE Publius Clodius Pulcherc. 90s BCE–53 BCE Publius Cornelius Lentulus Surac. 114–63 BCE Publius Quinctilius Varus47 BCE–9 Pupienusc. 2nd century–238 Pythagorasc. 6th century BCE–c. 490s BCE Quintus Petillius Cerialis30–83 Quintus Sertorius124 BCE–73 BCE Quintus Servilius Caepio151 BCE–c. 2nd century BCE Rachel1730 BCE–1686 BCE Ramesses II1304 BCE–1214 BCE Ramesses III1218 BCE–1156 BCE Ramesses IVc. 13th century BCE–1157 BCE Reuben1670 BCE–1446 BCE Ricimerc. 405–472 Romulus Augustusc. 460–after 507 Roxana348 BCE–311 BCE Saint Peter2 BCE–65 Sallust87 BCE–36 BCE Salome Alexandra141–67 BCE Salome Ic. 65 BCE–c. 10 CE Sapphoc. 7th century BCE–571 BCE Sargon of Akkad2334 BCE–2279 BCE Saul1081 BCE–1011 BCE Scipio Aemilianus186 BCE–130 BCE Scipio Africanusc. 236–c. 183 BCE Sejanus21 BCE–31 Senecac. 0s BCE–65 Senusret IIIc. 20th century BCE–1843 BCE Septimius Severus146–211 Seqenenre Taoc. 1590s BCE–1555 BCE Serviliaborn 101 BCE Seti I1324 BCE–1280 BCE Severus Alexander208–235 Sextus Afranius Burrus1–62 Shapur Ic. 3rd century–272 Shapur II309–379 Simeon1669 BCE–c. 21st century BCE Simonides of Ceosc. 556–468 BCE Socrates471 BCE–400 BCE Sophocles497 BCE–407 BCE Spartacus104 BCE–72 BCE Spendiusdied 239 BCE Sporus49–69 Sullac. 138–78 BCE Surena85 BCE–53 BCE Terencec. 195/185–c. 159 BCE Tetisheric. 17th century BCE–c. 1540s BCE Themistoclesc. 524–c. 459 BCE Theodorac. 500–548 Theodoric the Great454–526 Theodosius I347–395 Thrasybulusc. 440s–388 BCE Thucydidesc. 460s BCE–396 BCE Tiberius43 BCE–37 Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnusc. 1st century–c. 1st century Tiberius Gracchus163 BCE–134 BCE Tigellinus10–69 Titus39–81 Titus Annius Milo96 BCE–49 BCE Titus Quinctius Flamininus230 BCE–175 BCE Tiyec. 12th century BCE–1156 BCE Trajan53–117 Tutankhamunc. 1341–c. 1323 BCE Valens328–378 Valentinian I321–375 Valentinian III419–455 Valerian200–c. 260s Vercingetorixc. 82–46 BCE Vespasian9–79 Vibia Sabina86–136 Vindex25–68 Virgil71 BCE–20 BCE Xanthippus526 BCE–476 BCE Xenophon431 BCE–355 BCE Xerxes I520 BCE–466 BCE Zeno425–491 Zenobiac. 240–after 274 Ötzi3276 BCE–3231 BCE

Series

Series about Ancient World (2 series)

Historical Heroes in Order

by Richard Foreman 3 books 4.2(37)

Historical Heroes is a three-volume collection of shorter fiction drawn from Foreman’s recurring worlds. Roman soldiers and spies appear beside a crusading knight, Dick Turpin, Raffles and the Hollywood screenwriter Pat Hobby. The books are not a continuous narrative; they are curated introductions to characters whose longer adventures…

Ancient World in Order

by Steven Saylor 3 books 4.1(4,803)

The Ancient World prequels follow Gordianus before his established career as Rome’s Finder. The sequence begins with his youthful journey to the Seven Wonders in 92 BC, then moves to Alexandria, Egypt and Asia Minor during the opening phase of the Mithridatic Wars. These books are linked by…

Books

30 Best Novels About the Ancient World

Non-Fiction

30 Best Non-Fiction Books About the Ancient World

Histories, biographies and reference works are listed separately from the historical novels above.