The great civilizations of Greece, Rome, and Egypt dominate the collective imagination, and the interested scholar can find shelf after shelf of books dedicated to these prominent and influential ancient empires. Yet countless other kingdoms and empires—rarely mentioned in the history books—rose, struggled, triumphed, and fell through the long march of the ages.
Here are four lesser-known civilizations that, though they are often overshadowed by more famous peoples, nevertheless shaped the world as we know it in important ways.
