There’s something about ancient history that pulls you in like nothing else. Though thousands of years separate us, people of the past lived, loved, built families, worked, created art, and tried to make sense of their world—just as we do today. The relics and artifacts they left behind serve as a bridge through time, preserving their craftsmanship and the stories they carried.
#3 William The Egyptian Faience Hippopotamus. Middle Kingdom, C. 1961–1878 B.c
#4 Gold Scythian Pectoral, Or Neckpiece, From A Royal Kurgan In Tolstaya Mogila, Pokrov, Ukraine, Dated To The Second Half Of The 4th Century Bc
In our search for glimpses of ancient history to share with you, we turned to two online communities—the Ancient Civilizations subreddit and the This Is Ancient Instagram page. Both have gathered hundreds of thousands of followers and are fantastic places for history enthusiasts. If you enjoy these posts, definitely show them some love!
#7 Egyptian Faience Beaded Fishnet Dress Dating From The Fourth Dynasty, C. 2550 Bce
#8 125 Ton Stone Perfectly Placed At Sacsayhuaman Peru — An Incredible Feat Of Megalithic Masonry
Curious to learn more about these communities, we reached out to their admins. Beeninya, one of the moderators of r/AncientCivilizations, kindly responded. He explained that the current mod team took over about a year ago, rescuing the subreddit from being overrun with misleading claims and sensationalized theories.
“The sub was infested with ancient aliens nonsense and all sorts of pseudo-history. Real history needs to be seen over fake history, which is being pushed on us constantly,” he told Bored Panda.
#9 The Craftsmanship Inside Of The 11th Century Sas-Bahu Temple In Nagda, Rajasthan, India
#11 The Ksar Draa In Timimoun, Algeria, Is An Ancient Ruin That Stands Out In The Middle Of An Ocean Of Dunes
In fact, the subreddit’s very first rule is “No pseudo-history.” In an era where misinformation spreads easily, it’s refreshing to see a community so dedicated to accuracy. Perhaps that’s why the subreddit has built such a strong reputation, ranking among the top 50 history communities on Reddit.
#12 The Ancient Necropolis Of Powerful Persian Kings. Here You See Roman Emperor Philippus Arabs Kneeling In Front Of Persian King Shapur I, Begging For Peace, And The Standing Emperor Represents Valerian Who Was Taken Captive By The Persian Army In 260 Ad
#14 The Kailash Temple At Ellora Caves, Carved From Top To Bottom From A Single Piece Of Rock Over A Span Of Hundreds Of Years, Starting In The 8th Century
The moderation team is also strict about keeping posts relevant to ancient history, defining it as the period between 3000 BCE—750 CE across all human-inhabited continents. However, they remain flexible with dates and also allow content from the Pre-Columbian era of the Americas.
#15 The Western Staircase Leading To The Roof Of The Temple Of The Goddess Hathor, Egypt. 2300 Years Old
#16 Ceramic Water Pipes Found Near Epang Palace. China, Warring States, 5th-3rd Century Bc
#17 2,000 Year Old Sapphire Ring Likely Belonging To Caligula: The Infamous Ancient Roman Emperor Who Ruled In 37 A.d. Carved Into The Sapphire Is A Portrait His Last Wife, Caesonia
But what is it about ancient civilizations that excites us so much? It almost feels like a rite of passage—at some point in childhood, you become fixated on Ancient Egypt, Greece, or Rome until it becomes your entire personality. For some, that enthusiasm fades into a passing curiosity; for others, it turns into a lifelong passion for learning and appreciation.
#18 A Massive 2700-Year-Old, 18-Ton Statue Of An Assyrian Deity That Was Excavated In Iraq In November 2023
#20 It Is Quite Astounding To See The 600-Year Progression From Ancient Greek Sculptures! Ancient Sculptures Showing Evolution Of Greek Art From 600 Bc To 1st Ad, Not Typically Seen In History Textbooks
“Every era of history is interesting in its own way,” Beeninya said. “I think people are especially fascinated by ancient history because it’s still largely a mystery and it’s our past. We always want to know of our past.”
“Some of the greatest historical figures we still remember today come from ancient times—Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, and many others,” he added.