Ancient civilization refers to civilizations that flourished long ago. The term is used especially for the way of life that existed around the Mediterranean Sea beginning before 3000 B.C. and ending with the fall of Rome in A.D. 476. It includes great civilizations developed by the Assyrians, Egyptians, Israelites, and Persians. The cultures of ancient Greece and Rome are also considered part of it. But great early civilizations also grew in the Far East, India, central and southern Africa, and North and South America.
