Ancient Civilizations: Mayans, Indus Valley, China, and Rome

Mayan Civilisation

Calendar and chronology: solar calendar; Mayan calendar; BCE dating; end date predicted as 12/21/2012 (did not occur).
Astronomy and math: accurate naked-eye observations of the moon and planets; concept of zero; sums up to 10^8.
Architecture: built pyramids, some larger than Egyptian pyramids.
Key highlight: advanced time-keeping and mathematics in the ancient world.

Urban planning: streets laid out in a grid; houses protected from noise, odours, and thieves.
Sanitation: world’s first urban sanitation systems; public bath in modern-day Pakistan.
Standards and measures: methods to accurately measure length, mass, and time; uniform system of weights and measures.
Arts and crafts: vibrant culture including gold jewelry and painted figurines.
Transportation: first to use wheeled transport.
Medicine: Sushruta Samhita lists 1100 illnesses, 700 medicinal plants; detailed anatomy; cataract surgery.
Fall factors: climate change, environmental degradation, or Indo-European migrations.

Continuity: ancient Chinese civilisation with a written history dating back over 3{,}000 years.
Geography and early state: civilisation along the Yellow River; Shang dynasty as early ruling period; emperors and dynastic rule.
Urban development: cities with walls; gates locked at night; protection from invasions.
Nationalism and isolation: strong sense of centrality; natural barriers limited invasions.
Silk Road: major trade route for luxury goods and knowledge.
Innovations and writing: gunpowder, cannons, papermaking, printing, compass; writing system leading to modern Chinese script.
End of ancient period: Han dynasty marks end of the ancient era in Chinese history.

Geographic extent: ruled across the Mediterranean Basin and the majority of Western Europe.
Population centers: Rome became the world’s largest city, with populations over 10^6; other cities housed hundreds of thousands.
Government: transition from kings to a senate; development of the Roman Republic.
Infrastructure: mastery of road building and grid layouts; sophisticated water supply via aqueducts; public fountains for the poor; private wells for the rich.
Sanitation and public works: drains and sewers to remove waste; extensive urban public works.
Longevity and influence: Roman engineering and urban planning laid foundations that influenced future generations.