Ancient Civilizations Vocabulary

noun the ancient past, especially the period before the Middle Ages

adjective belonging to or dating from ancient times

• The study of antiquity provides insights into ancient civilizations.
• I love visiting museums to learn about antiquity.
• That old building has been around since antiquity.
• Her knowledge of history is so vast, it's like she's been around since antiquity.

adjective relating to or characteristic of an earlier period; antiquated

• The language used in the document is quite archaic and may be difficult for modern readers to understand.
• My grandma still uses some archaic words that no one else understands.
• That old computer is so archaic, I can't believe it still works.
• His views on marriage are quite archaic, he believes in traditional gender roles.

noun a person from or things related to the ancient city of Babylon

adjective relating to the ancient city of Babylon or its people

• The Babylonian civilization was known for its advanced knowledge in mathematics and astronomy.
• I heard that the Babylonian empire was really powerful back in the day.
• Have you seen those cool Babylonian artifacts at the museum?
• Her room was a mess, it looked like a Babylonian chaos.

noun extreme cruelty or brutality

• The historian described the act of burning down the village as a brutal display of barbarism.
• The way they treated their employees was pure barbarism, no wonder everyone quit.
• That movie was straight up barbarism, I couldn't even watch it.
• The pollution of the river is a form of environmental barbarism that must be stopped.

noun a society in an advanced state of social development, with complex legal, political, and cultural organizations

adjective relating to a civilization or civilizations

• The ancient civilization of Mesopotamia is often regarded as one of the cradles of human civilization.
• Have you ever wondered what life was like in the Mayan civilization?
• Dude, the Aztec civilization was lit back in the day.
• The artist's latest work explores the decay of modern civilization.

noun a written character that represents a word or phrase

• The logogram for 'and' in Chinese is the character 和.
• I learned a new logogram in my Chinese class today.
• Do you know the logogram for 'cool' in emoji language?
• In hieroglyphics, each logogram represents a word or a concept.

noun In Greek mythology, Minos was a king of Crete and the son of Zeus and Europa. He is known for being a wise and just ruler, as well as the judge of the dead in the underworld.

• Minos was a legendary king of Crete in Greek mythology.
• Have you heard of King Minos from Greek mythology?
• Minos was a total boss in those ancient myths.
• The labyrinth of Minos symbolizes the complexity of life's challenges.

verb to preserve a dead body by embalming and drying it to prevent decay

• The ancient Egyptians used a complex process to mummify their dead.
• I heard that they mummify bodies in some cultures to preserve them.
• Dude, that old sandwich in your bag is starting to mummify.
• The dry climate mummified the remains of the once vibrant city.

noun A preserved human or animal body, especially one that has been wrapped in bandages and buried in a tomb

• The mummy was carefully preserved by the archaeologists for further study.
• I can't believe how well-preserved that mummy is!
• Check out that spooky mummy over there!
• She wrapped herself up in blankets like a mummy to stay warm.

noun a citizen of ancient Rome

adjective relating to the ancient city of Rome or its empire

• The ancient Roman civilization was known for its advanced engineering and architecture.
• I'm reading a fascinating novel set in ancient Rome.
• I can't believe he's still using that old Roman flip phone.
• Her leadership style can be described as Roman in its strict discipline and organization.

noun a member of the seafaring Scandinavian people who raided and settled in many parts of northwestern Europe in the 8th-11th centuries.

• The viking warriors were known for their fierce fighting skills and strategic tactics.
• I heard there's a new TV show about vikings, wanna check it out?
• That guy at the gym looks like a total viking with his long hair and beard.
• She tackled her work project with the determination of a viking on a conquest.

noun a member of a group of political malcontents or rebels

adjective relating to or characteristic of the Adullamites

• The Adullamites were a group of rebels in ancient Israel who opposed King David.
• I heard that the Adullamites were causing trouble again in the neighboring village.
• Those Adullamites are always up to no good.
• Being an Adullamite in this situation means going against the established authority.

noun a person from Ethiopia or of Ethiopian descent

• The ancient Greeks referred to the people from Ethiopia as Aethiopians.
• I met an Aethiopian man at the market today.
• I heard that Aethiopians are known for their incredible coffee.
• Her beauty was compared to that of an Aethiopian goddess.