Editing Ancient history (section)

==Developments==

===Religion and philosophy===
{{Main|Axial Age|History of philosophy|History of religion}}
{{Further||Religions of the ancient Near East|Ancient Egyptian religion|Historical Vedic religion|Ancient Greek religion|Hellenistic philosophy|Roman imperial cult|Early Christianity|Decline of Greco-Roman polytheism}}
[[File:Museo Barracco - Giove Ammone 1010637.JPG|alt=Jupiter Ammon|thumb|Roman cast [[terracotta]] of ram-horned ''Jupiter Ammon'', a form of [[Zeus]], 1st century AD. Gods were sometimes borrowed between civilisations and adapted to local conditions.]]

The rise of civilisation corresponded with the institutional sponsorship of belief in gods, supernatural forces and the afterlife.{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|pp=40-41}} During the Bronze Age, many civilisations adopted their own form of polytheism. Usually, polytheistic Gods manifested human personalities, strengths and failings. Early religion was often based on location, with cities or entire countries selecting a deity, that would grant them preferences and advantages over their competitors. Worship involved the construction of representation of deities, and the granting of sacrifices. Sacrifices could be material goods, food, or in extreme cases human sacrifice to please a deity.{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|pp=142–143}} New philosophies and religions arose in both east and west, particularly about the 6th century BC. Over time, a great variety of religions developed around the world, with some of the earliest major ones being Hinduism (around 2000 BC), [[Buddhism]] (5th century BC), and [[Jainism]] (6th century BC) in [[India]], and [[Zoroastrianism]] in [[Achaemenid Empire|Persia]]. The [[Abrahamic religion]]s trace their origin to [[Judaism]], around 1700 BC.{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|pp=144–147}}

In the east, three schools of thought were to dominate Chinese thinking until the modern day. These were [[Taoism]], [[Legalism (Chinese philosophy)|Legalism]] and [[Confucianism]]. The Confucian tradition, which would attain dominance, looked for political [[morality]] not to the force of law but to the power and example of tradition.{{sfn|Bentley|Ziegler|2006|pp=182–189}} Confucianism would later spread into the [[Korean peninsula]]{{sfn|Bentley|Ziegler|2006|p=396}} and [[Japan]].{{sfn|Bentley|Ziegler|2006|p=397}}

In the west, the Greek philosophical tradition, represented by [[Socrates]], [[Plato]], and [[Aristotle]], was diffused throughout Europe and the Middle East in the 4th century BC by the conquests of Alexander the Great.{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|pp=130–131}} After the [[Bronze and Iron Age religion]]s formed, Christianity spread through the Roman world.{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|pp=144-147}}

===Science and technology===
{{Main|Ancient technology}}
{{Further|History of science in early cultures|History of mathematics}}
{{Ancient technology}}

Ancient technological progress began before the recording of history, with tools, use of fire,{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|pp=24-29}} domestication of animals, and agriculture all predating recorded history.{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|pp=36-37}} The use of metals and the ability to make metal alloys was foundational for later technologies to develop.{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|pp=42-43}} Medical knowledge, including the use of herbs to treat illnesses and wounds as well as some surgical techniques, advanced during antiquity.{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|pp=52-53}} An early very important development that allowed for further advancement was writing, which allowed humans to record information for later use.{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|pp=62-63}}

The characteristics of [[ancient Egyptian technology]] are indicated by a set of artifacts and customs that lasted for thousands of years. The Egyptians invented and used many basic machines, such as the ramp and the lever, to aid construction processes. The Egyptians also played an important role in developing Mediterranean maritime technology, including ships.{{sfn|Shaw|2012|pp=117–119}} The Babylonians and Egyptians were early astronomers who recorded their observations of the night sky.{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|p=104}}

Water managing [[Qanat]]s which likely emerged on the [[Iran]]ian plateau and possibly also in the [[Arabian peninsula]] sometime in the early 1st millennium BC spread from there slowly west- and eastward.{{sfn|Wilson|2008|pp=292–293}}

The [[Hindu–Arabic numeral system]] with the concept of zero was developed in India,{{sfn|Bentley|Ziegler|2006|p=225}} while modern forms of paper were invented in China in the first century AD.{{sfn|Hart-Davis|2012|p=129}}