Ancient Civilizations Quiz

Throughout history, there have been many different cultures and civilizations that have had significant impacts on human development. These ancient societies have left behind fascinating stories of their accomplishments and failures, all while contributing to our understanding of how humans have evolved over time. Let's take a look at some of these ancient civilizations, starting with one of the earliest known developed groups - Sumerians.

The Sumerians were among the first people to develop written records, around 6000 years ago. They lived along the Tigris River in what is now Iraq. Their society was based upon agriculture; they grew crops like wheat, barley, peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, and sesame seeds. Another notable civilization is the ancient Egypt. For nearly three millennia, from approximately 2700 BCE through 30 CE, Egypt was ruled by kings who started out being powerful pharaohs and eventually turned into nominal rulers presiding over petty kingdoms.

In contrast to the ancient Egyptian civilization which saw its decline when Alexander the Great took control of Egypt after he defeated Persian Empire, Rome rose to become the most successful empire ever known to humankind. Ancient Rome didn’t just conquer territories, it also conquered minds. It spread Roman culture throughout Europe and beyond, influencing art, architecture, law, literature, and other aspects of life until today. Eventually though, the Western Roman Empire fell in AD 476, leaving only Eastern Byzantium intact.

Later, during the Middle Ages, civilizations such as the Vikings emerged. Known for their sea raids in the ninth century, Viking explorations led them across great distances, including as far west as North America. While often remembered for their warring ways, the Vikings made important contributions to the fields of poetry, mythology, and runic script. Other medieval civilizations included Anglo-Saxons, Normans, Franks, Saxons, Lombards, Goths, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Vandals, Burgundians, Alamanni, Suevi, Jutes, Huns, Bulgars, Magyars, Rus', Khazars, Saracens, Abbasids, Maurya emperors, Gupta emperors, Ayyavazhi kings, Zhou dynasty, Warring States period, Han Dynasty, Manchu rulers, Ming Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty, Song Dynasty, Chou dynasty, Shang dynasty, Wu Kingdom, Xinhai Revolution, Mayan civilization, Aztecs, Incas, and more.

Throughout history, these various ancient civilizations have contributed significantly to shaping global culture, science, politics, economics, and technology. From early Agriculture to modern day world powers, humanity has come a long way thanks to the achievements and discoveries of these diverse groups of people.