Ancient describes something that is very, very old, especially from thousands of years ago. As a noun, it can refer to people who lived long ago.
From Old French 'ancien' meaning 'old' or 'former', from Latin 'ante' meaning 'before'. Over time the word narrowed to refer especially to times long before the present.
To a historian, 'ancient' usually means before about 500 CE, while 'medieval' and 'modern' come later. So a 300-year-old building might feel ancient to you, but to an archaeologist it’s practically new.
Descriptions of “ancient” cultures and histories have often centered male leaders, philosophers, and warriors, marginalizing women’s political, scientific, and artistic roles. Early archaeology and classics scholarship frequently treated women as peripheral or domestic figures rather than historical agents.
When using “ancient,” avoid assuming male default in examples; explicitly acknowledge women and gender-diverse people in historical narratives where evidence supports it.
["early","very old","longstanding"]
Women in ancient societies contributed to governance, medicine, mathematics, literature, and religious life, though their work was often recorded under male relatives’ names or omitted from official chronicles.
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