archeologists
person who studies the material evidence of past societies
empires
group of countries ruled by a single person
kingdoms
individual countries ruled by a king or queen
dynasties
different rulers who are all from the same family, or a period of time that a country is controlled by them
dawn
beginning
reigns
period thta a king, queen or emperor rules
heirs
person who is legally entitled to continue the work of someone important who has died or who has the same position as they had
successors
person who takes over from another person
coronations
event when a king or queen receices his/her crown
conquests
when someone or an army defeats and takes over another country
manuscripts
texts written by hand
peasants
person who works on the land and earns a little, usually having a low social status
labourers
person who does unskilled manual work
migrations
moving from one place to another in large numbers
shreds
very small amounts
Bronze Age
period when the metals copper and tin began to be used to make weapons, tools, etc.
medieval
of or from the European Middle Ages, i.e. 1000–1500 AD
Renaissance
period of new growth of interest and activity in the arts especially in Europe in the 14th to 16th centuries
pre-colonial
period before Europeans arrived in large numbers and took power
infantry
soldiers on foot (uncountable)
cavalry
soldiers on horseback (uncountable)
(suit of) armour
metal protective clothing worn by soldiers
chariot
two-wheeled vehicle pulled by a horse and used in ancient times for racing and war
galleon
large sailing ship with three or four masts, used in the 15th to 18th centuries
warlord
a military leader who controls a country or, more oft en, an area within a country
slave
person legally owned by someone else and who has to work for them (noun = slavery)
ruler
leader of a country
explorer
someone who travels to places that no one is thought ever to have visited, in order to find out what is there
merchant
someone who buys and sells things in large amounts, especially by trading with other countries
monarch
neutral term for a king or queen (a country with a king or queen at its head can also be called a monarchy)
the nobility
collective term for people of the highest social rank in a society