Antiquity refers to ancient times, especially the period of Greek and Roman civilization that ended around 500 AD. When historians study antiquity, they're examining the world of pyramids, philosophers, gladiators, and early empires. The ruins you see in history books, scattered columns and crumbling amphitheaters, are remnants of antiquity.

When you read about Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, or Alexander the Great, you're reading about figures from antiquity. The literature, art, and ideas from this period, called classical antiquity, shaped Western civilization so profoundly that we still read Homer's poems and study Aristotle's philosophy today.

You'll also see antiquity used to describe a single ancient object, called an antiquity. Museums display antiquities like Greek pottery, Roman coins, and Egyptian jewelry. These treasures survived thousands of years to teach us about how people lived long ago.

Sometimes people say something is “lost in the mists of antiquity” to mean it happened so long ago that nobody remembers the details anymore, like trying to recall who first invented the wheel or discovered fire.