Editing Ancient philosophy (section)

==Overview==
Genuine philosophical thought, depending upon original individual insights, arose in many cultures roughly contemporaneously. [[Karl Jaspers]] termed the intense period of philosophical development beginning around the 7th century BCE and concluding around the 3rd century BCE an [[Axial Age]] in human thought.

In [[Western philosophy]], the spread of [[Christianity]] in the [[Roman Empire]] marked the ending of [[Hellenistic philosophy]] and ushered in the beginnings of [[medieval philosophy]], whereas in the Middle East, the [[spread of Islam]] through the [[Caliphate|Arab Empire]] marked the end of [[#Ancient Iranian philosophy|Old Iranian philosophy]] and ushered in the beginnings of [[early Islamic philosophy]].