In History, the term classical civilizations refers to the ancient Greek and ancient Roman cultures that lived between the 5th-century BC and the 5th-century AC. During that period, known as classical antiquity, these two cultures developed their respective civilizations in the Mediterranean basin, including Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. More specifically, Ancient Greece developed immensely between the 5th-century BC and the 3rd-century BC and during that period, thanks to the conquests of Alexander the Great, they took their philosophy, their arts, their mythology, and their innovations to other cultures in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. It was a prolific civilization that had a great influence over the political system and the cultural life of these regions. The Ancient Greece was the place where democracy and philosophy were invented, and their thought and aesthetics would have a great influence over different civilizations throughout millennia. The Romans in particular took Greek elements from their mythology, architecture, philosophy, and politics, among other aspects, and used them to build the foundations of the Roman Empire, that would take Greek ideals to new frontiers. It was labeled as a classical civilization by Renaissance Historians that were inspired by the ancient Greek and Ancient Roman cultures and tended to idealize them.
