The victors, emperors, and generals have always shone the most on the stage of history. Behind the triumph of every ethnic group, there are countless silent civilizations. One of them is ‘Alexander’ or ‘Caesar’. Who not only through weapons, but also through the power of ideas and inventions, have silently shaped today’s world into a modern one. Although they may not have become a huge empire like Rome, their knowledge, strategies, and culture are still spread to every corner of the world – in our laws, architecture, languages, and festivals. Today’s program is mainly about some of the almost forgotten ancient ethnic groups, whose imprint is present in every aspect of our lives. Let's travel the path of history...
Ancient Peoples
► The history of ancient civilizations is not just a story of the past, but also a long journey of human creativity, resilience, and social development.
► These footprints of ancient civilizations teach us that even though times change, culture, science, and the spirit of humanity remain eternal. Civilization is not just history, it is an ongoing journey, where each new generation adopts the teachings and innovations of its predecessors, building its future.
The Inca Empire rose to prominence in the Andes Mountains of South America as a symbol of amazing engineering and urban planning. Machu Picchu, a well-developed irrigation system, and an extensive road network are testaments to their technological prowess. However, Spanish invasions, epidemics, and internal strife tore their empire apart. Similarly, the Aztecs prospered through political and commercial excellence in Tenochtitlan in central Mexico, but the Spanish conquest brought them to ruin. They controlled 500 city-states and millions of subjects, a testament to their administrative prowess.
The Roman Empire has had a lasting impact on human history. The use of concrete, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Western calendar are all examples of Roman innovation. Their architecture, laws, and administrative structures laid the foundation for the modern state. However, internal strife and border tensions were the natural causes of their decline. The Persian Empire, under Cyrus and Darius, was a symbol of tolerance and evidence of great administrative skill. Their Royal Roads and cultural policies are groundbreaking examples of imperial governance.
Greek civilization gave birth to democracy, philosophy, literature, and the Olympic Games. Their city-states and ideas formed the basis of ancient European society and modern Western civilization. Chinese civilization is known for its longevity, technology, and craftsmanship. The inventions of silk, paper, the compass, the printing press, and gunpowder gave human civilization a new direction. The astronomy, calendar, and architectural skills of the Maya demonstrate the intellectual height of their time. And civilizations such as the Norte Chico and Danubian cultures bear evidence of early urban life and social organization. The dense settlement of Çatalhöyük, the flourishing urbanization of the Neolithic period, and the egalitarian social structure indicate the first beginnings of modern urban planning. The Indus Valley civilization is a classic example of civilization, peace, trade, and urban planning. The early canal systems and flourishing trade of ancient cities were the defining principles of this civilization.
Jiahu and Ain Ghazal demonstrate that agriculture and social organization are essential not only for food production, but also for social and cultural development. The urbanization of Çatalhöyük, the Jomon pottery, and the natural lifestyle of the Ainu people are unique examples of human creativity and resilience. The Jomon introduced the original form of Shinto tradition, and the Ainu maintained a close relationship with the natural environment. The Phoenicians made a breakthrough in communication and cultural exchange by inventing the alphabet and establishing sea trade. The Sogdians contributed to modern globalization by connecting East and West on the Silk Road. The Minoans influenced European civilization in maritime trade and palace design. The Olmecs laid the cultural foundation for the Maya and Aztecs of Mexico. The Scythians, Hittites, and Nabataeans transcended the boundaries of their time in warfare, diplomacy, and architecture.
This broad picture of ancient civilizations teaches us that civilizations are never limited to empires or political power. They are deeply intertwined with various aspects of human life - art, science, philosophy, trade, administration and the environment. Each civilization proves the boundless innovation of humans, social cohesion and the power to overcome adversity. This footprint of history is instructive and inspiring not only for the past, but also for the present and the future. The fall of ancient civilizations is not just a story, their creativity, principles and culture are shaping the world today. Communities like the Ainu people and the Australian Aborigines still live on; who remind us that history can be rewritten.
Etruscan
Minoan culture
Ainu civilization
Nabataean tribe
Woolmaker
The hidden architect of ancient Rome
The Etruscans are as prominent in the backdrop of ancient Italy as the Roman Empire. This mysterious nation, which flourished in central Italy from 900 to 300 BC, was a teacher and guide for the Romans. They introduced Rome to advanced urban planning and engineering. The road construction techniques used by the Romans, the drainage system, and the triple triumphal arch, a symbol of victory, were probably Etruscan inventions. Even the Roman gladiator games may have evolved from Etruscan funeral rituals. The symbol of power, the ‘fasces’ – which took shape in Roman authority and later Western iconography – was also born at the hands of the Etruscans.
Sailor, the dreamer of European civilization
Long before the invention of Greek gods and geometric designs, the island of Crete was home to the Minoans - so advanced that their Bronze Age neighbors were considered primitive. This civilization is known as the oldest advanced civilization in Europe. The Minoans flourished on the island of Crete around 2000 BC. Although research into their origins is still ongoing. Surprisingly, there are some references to this ancient people in the Bible - although they are not mentioned as 'Minoans', but as 'Caphetarim'. According to the Bible, 'Caphetar' was the Hebrew name for Crete, which is also found in ancient Assyrian documents as 'Kaptara'. In other words, the Caphetarim of the Bible were the Cretans - that is, the ancestors of the Minoans. However, the Minoans, who flourished from 2000 to 1400 BC, built vast palaces with multi-storey buildings, plumbing facilities and such vivid frescoes that they still seem to be alive today. Their palace, Knossos, was not just a city – it was an architectural masterpiece, with storerooms, workshops and winding corridors that might have given rise to the myth of the Minotaur’s labyrinth. But their real talent was at sea. The Minoans ruled the Aegean not through war but through trade, trading olive oil, wine and ceramics across the Mediterranean. Their ships became floating ambassadors of culture, which later shaped the Greek world, from its artistic style to its maritime orientation. Even the word ‘Europe’ is commonly associated with their mythology. Then, around 1450 BC, nature intervened. A catastrophic volcanic eruption probably destroyed their society on Thera (modern Santorini) and contributed to its decline. Yet echoes of their culture survived, which would later form the basis of European civilization.
The untamed indigenous people of Japan
The Ainu people lived in northern Japan before the advent of the samurai. Their distinct language, culture, and way of life close to nature set them apart from later Japanese. The Ainu had lived for centuries close to nature, where they hunted and revered spirits known as "kamui." As Japanese influence increased, they lost land and autonomy and were subjected to forced assimilation. But the Ainu never disappeared. Colonial influence on the Ainu people in Japan began in 1868, although history shows that commercial and exploitative pressure on them had been going on for centuries. After centuries of physical, social, and economic hardship, the Ainu people still face oppression today. Although their land and rights were officially declared to have ended in 1997, they are not completely free from colonial influence. In 2019, the Japanese government officially recognized them as an indigenous people, leading to a cultural renaissance. The Ainu, who live in Hokkaido, northern Honshu, the Kurils, and Sakhalin, still have their own language and dialect. As hunters and gatherers, they valued nature, which is reflected in their art. However, the Japanese's strict control, family separation, forced marriage, and slavery policies pushed the Ainu to revolt. Currently, about 20,000 people in Hokkaido identify themselves as Ainu. However, awareness of them among the Japanese is low.
The merchants who taught the alphabet
The Phoenicians (1500–300 BC) were an ancient seafaring people from the narrow coast of Lebanon. One of the most influential peoples of the ancient world, the Phoenicians were a people of Semitic origin who established their civilization in the Levant region from the second millennium BC. Although they were not interested in building a vast empire, they focused on establishing commercial networks. They were exceptionally skilled in language, art, and commerce. Their language, Phoenician, was closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic, which later became the source of the Greek and Latin alphabets. They were seafaring merchants—they traded timber, metals, textiles, and dyes with Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece. The Phoenicians transported timber, glass, and their famous purple dye across the Mediterranean. They established numerous colonies along the Mediterranean coast, the most famous of which were Carthage and Ghadir. This seaborne trade made them a superpower, rivaling empires like Rome. But their greatest contribution was the alphabet. They simplified communication by creating a phonetic script of just 22 letters instead of thousands of symbols. This script spread quickly. It gave rise to the Greek, Latin, and the alphabets used today. They founded colonies like Carthage. They were essentially the nation that taught the world to write, although they themselves left little written information in the historical record.
Tattooed warriors of the Eurasian steppe
Even before the rise of the Mongols or the Huns, the Scythians (900-200 BC) were the fearless rulers of the Eurasian steppes. They were nomadic horsemen, archers and artists; they took warfare to the level of an art form. Their art, culture and beliefs had their own brilliance. The Scythians were centuries-old pioneers of horsemanship, achieving unparalleled proficiency in mounted combat. Their tight riding trousers influenced the military and fashion worlds of Europe. Their goldsmithing and the extensive tattoos found on the bodies of their mummified warriors testify to their cultural and artistic prowess. Their dynamic, indomitable spirit still resonates in the tales of nomadic warriors today, and their culture influenced Western, and even earlier, military tactics.
Japanese early pottery artisans
The Jomon culture of Japan is a unique early chapter in human civilization - where art, environment and life were intertwined. Long before the history of the ancient samurai or emperors, the Jomon people (c. 14,000 to 300 BC) were a hunter-gatherer society in Japan. Although they were prehistoric, they were advanced in culture and craftsmanship. The Jomon produced some of the oldest known pottery in the world, which simplified their lifestyle by making food storage and cooking easier. Archaeological evidence suggests that their pottery was unique not only in its daily use but also in its aesthetic beauty. Their pottery influenced later Japanese craftsmanship. They made clay statues called dogu, which testify to early religious and spiritual thought. Their respect for nature and the core tenets of the Japanese Shinto tradition are similar to those of the Japanese Shinto tradition, which played a role in shaping the cultural foundation of Japan.
Ancient empires, inventors of diplomacy
While Egypt and Assyria were shining in their civilizations during the Early Bronze Age, another powerful nation emerged in the mountains of Anatolia (today's Turkey) - the Hittites (c. 1600 BC). They brought a groundbreaking concept to the ancient world's conflicting times - 'diplomacy'. This Bronze Age power, which challenged Egypt and Babylon, was known more for its negotiating skills than its military might. They had knowledge of the use of iron and were skilled bureaucrats. But their greatest contribution was - 'peace treaties'. The Treaty of Kadesh (c. 1259 BC), signed with Pharaoh Ramses II, is the oldest surviving international treaty, which is still studied by political scientists today. This treaty included a mutual defense clause, which laid the foundation for modern statesmanship and the concept of alliance formation. Their legal system and religious influence also spread.
Fearless water Engineer of the desert region
In one of the driest regions of the world, the Nabataeans (4th century BC to 106 AD) achieved an impossible feat of survival not only through trade but also through architecture and engineering. These Arab traders built an empire spanning the deserts of modern-day Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. Their crowning achievement was Petra, a city carved into a steep, pink-red cliff. It was the capital of the ancient Nabataean civilization. And the Nabataeans were masterminds of hydraulic engineering, conserving every drop of rain by building an intricate network of reservoirs, canals, and pipelines. By controlling the water, they controlled the trade routes for incense and spices. Their ornate architectural style, a blend of Greek, Egyptian, and local influences, inspired engineers in later centuries. Petra still stands today as a symbol of innovation and ingenuity. Apart from that, on the way to this ancient site, one can also see camel caravans, 'Batils', symbols of the gods, and numerous stone-carved temples.
The mysterious merchant of the Silk Route
The Sogdians were the original trading class of Central Asia. They were well-known for their trade and diplomatic skills on the Silk Road from antiquity to the Middle Ages, making them the most successful merchants of their time. A new genetic study recently published in the Journal of Archaeological Science has found evidence of genetic admixture between ancient Central and East Asians, providing new insights into the lives of these mysterious traders. Famous for their mercantile spirit and diplomacy along the Silk Road, the Sogdians became the most successful merchants of their time. These Persian-speaking merchants, who flourished mainly between the 4th and 10th centuries AD, made the Silk Road the main trade route of the ancient world. They built empires not with the sword, but through trade agreements and cultural exchange. They created links between the Hellenistic world and the Qin and Han dynasties, which played a significant role in the trade of goods such as silk, precious stones and spices. In fact, the Sogdians served as essential intermediaries between East and West. Their cities, such as Samarkand and Bukhara, were multicultural hubs, where ideas were exchanged as well as goods. It was through their networks that Buddhism spread from India to China and later Islam. Their language became the unofficial language of Central Asian trade. Their concept of intercultural exchange laid the foundation for today's globalization and global trade.
Mexico's rubber-human civilization
The first known civilization in Mexico was the Olmec. They flourished in pre-classical Mesoamerica between about 1200 and 400 BC. They settled in the area of what is now the Gulf of Veracruz and laid the foundation for the later Maya and Aztec civilizations. Their contributions to the formation of ancient cultures of architecture, religious rituals, drinking chocolate, and playing ball are unique. They were the first inventors of rubber. They collected latex from the local Panama rubber tree and mixed it with the sap of a special vine to create durable rubber - an invention that predates vulcanization by thousands of years. Their most striking artifacts are the giant stone heads - carved from basalt stone, these sculptures can be up to 10 feet tall and weigh 40 tons. They are thought to be portraits of their kings or rulers. Seventeen such heads have been discovered from four archaeological sites. They also became extinct after the fall of their capital, La Venta, in 400 BC.
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