This article is the first in an irregular series in which we’ll be taking a closer look at the period covered in the Ages of Conflict – Historical Companion. This supplement covers three periods of history – the ancient world, the classical world, and the Middle Ages. For our purposes, the ancient world includes the dawn of human civilization to the 8th century BC at which point many historians date the beginning of the classical age. Note that for many, the classical world includes only the civilizations of the Mediterranean, though we’re expanding the scope to include everything from the 8th century BC to the Middle Ages. The Middle Ages is typically dated from the fall of the Roman Empire in the west in the 5th century AD to the fall of Constantinople in 1453 AD.
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