antiken

Antiken is a term used in several European languages to denote the ancient world, especially the civilizations of classical Greece and Rome, and the broader historical period known in English as antiquity. The scope of antiken varies by tradition, but it generally covers roughly the time from the late Bronze Age or early Iron Age through the fall of the Western Roman Empire and, in some classifications, into Late Antiquity (roughly from 3rd millennium BCE to the 5th–6th century CE). In scholarly usage, antiken often emphasizes Greek and Roman civilizations and their cultural sphere, while also acknowledging influences from neighboring regions such as Egypt and Mesopotamia that shaped and were shaped by the ancient Mediterranean world.

Key features of antiken include monumental architecture (temples, theatres, basilicas, amphitheaters), sculpture, pottery, coinage, and urban planning, as well as a rich tradition of literature, philosophy, history, and science. Notable components are the works of Greek authors such as Homer, Hesiod, and the tragedians, as well as Roman authors like Virgil and Livy; philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle; and scientific and mathematical advances from Greek and Hellenistic thinkers. The political systems, legal ideas, and artistic conventions of Greek city-states and the Roman Republic and Empire had a lasting influence on later Western culture.

In modern contexts, antiken remains a central field of study in archaeology, classics, art history, and philology. It informs educational curricula, museums, and popular culture through the ongoing reception and reinterpretation of ancient themes, forms, and narratives.