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What The Ancients Did For Us
Adam and Marty with wheels

What The Ancients Did For Us

The Ancients are more than just dust and legends - every day, we're making use of the legacy of their inspirations and innovations, from the wheel to chocolate, numbers to football. Find out more about the series which unwraps the gifts of our ancestors.

The city

The Colosseum in Rome
There is much that the modern town-dweller would recognise in the earliest cities, explains David Barber in the city of the past.

Starting to count

Abacus

Adding up is as old as humanity - culture counts backwards to the birth of ancient maths.

First aid

A shaved head
From the stone age through to modern times, we still benefit from discoveries dating back to the very origins of medicine.
 

Past, present & future

Adam and Marty with Archimdedes' mirror
Courses, books, weblinks - if you're interested in knowing more, we've got suggestions for taking it further.

Past notes

The Peasant's Revolt

Unpicking monuments, the latest Timewatch and studying family trees. Share your passion in the history forum.

 

On bbc.co.uk/history

A man fires an arrow

There's much more to discover about the ancients on bbc.co.uk/history - including Adam's look at Roman technology and Simon Singh on cracking hieroglyphics.

Order your free magazine

Adam with a rock

We're sorry, but supplies of the WTADFU leaflet have run out - but you can order Ozone magazine.

 
 
 

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