history ancient history 930 http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85061232 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Ancient_history https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q41493 D51-D90 Ancient history as a term refers to the aggregate of past events from the beginning of writing and recorded human history and extending as far as the post-classical history. The phrase may be used either to refer to the period of time or the academic discipline. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with Sumerian Cuneiform script; the oldest discovered form of coherent writing from the protoliterate period around the 30th century BCE. Ancient History covers all continents inhabited by humans in the 3,000 BCE – 500 CE period.