Civilization Explorer
127+ civilizations.
All of human history.
From Mesopotamia to the British Empire — explore the complete story of human civilization.
Mesopotamia
3,500 BCE – 539 BCE
The cradle of civilization, home to Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and Assyria. Inventors of writing, law, and the wheel.
Ancient Egypt
3,100 BCE – 30 BCE
One of the longest-lasting civilizations, builders of the pyramids, masters of hieroglyphics and the Nile River.
Indus Valley Civilization
3,300 BCE – 1,300 BCE
One of the world's earliest urban civilizations with advanced city planning, drainage systems, and trade networks.
Imperial China
2,100 BCE – 1912 CE
One of history's longest continuous civilizations, from the Xia dynasty through the Qing, inventor of paper, printing, gunpowder, and the compass.
Ancient Greece
800 BCE – 146 BCE
Birthplace of democracy, philosophy, theater, and the Olympic Games. Athens under Pericles and the conquests of Alexander the Great.
Roman Empire
753 BCE – 476 CE
From a small city-state to an empire spanning three continents, Rome shaped law, language, architecture, and the Christian world.
Maya Civilization
2,000 BCE – 1697 CE
A sophisticated civilization with a complex calendar, hieroglyphic writing, and remarkable astronomical knowledge.
Inca Empire
1438 CE – 1533 CE
The largest empire in pre-Columbian America, with remarkable engineering, road networks, and terraced agriculture.
Islamic Caliphates
632 CE – 1258 CE
From the Rashidun through Abbasid caliphate, the Islamic world was the global center of science, mathematics, medicine, and philosophy.
Mongol Empire
1206 CE – 1368 CE
The largest contiguous land empire in history, founded by Genghis Khan, connecting East and West through conquest and trade.
Ottoman Empire
1299 CE – 1923 CE
One of history's most powerful and long-lasting empires, bridging East and West for over 600 years.
British Empire
1583 CE – 1997 CE
At its height the largest empire in history, spanning five continents and shaping the modern world through trade, colonialism, and industrialization.