While our modern culture takes plenty of studying just to understand what's going on in our daily lives, it's also important to know about where we came from, so that we can figure out where we're trying to go. Still, not all of the great civilizations of history are well known to people today, and of those that are, there are misconceptions and myths about them that often aren't very accurate.

Every continent has enjoyed a great civilization in ancient times, with the Americas sporting the Olmec, Aztec, Maya, and Inca; the British, Greeks, and Romans of Europe; the Assyrians, Byzantines, Persians (and many more) of the Middle East; the Mongols, Japanese, and Chinese empires of the Far East, the Mughal Empire of South Asia; and the Ethiopian, Songhai, and Luba Empires of Africa. All of them had their own characters, and all contributed in their own way to the cultures that have come after them.

Whether you're insular or extroverted, progressive or conservative, hierarchical or egalitarian, rural or urban in your mindset, a sophisticated thinker or someone who prefers the simpler things in life, there's an ancient empire that has something to teach you. So let's find out which one it is!