the ancients

plural noun

: the people who lived in ancient times : the people of ancient Greece and Rome

a temple built by the ancients

the gods of the ancients

Examples of the ancients in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Now, it is well understood that some scholars partial to the ancients will attempt to elevate the 1927 Yankees, led by the stoical Lou Gehrig and the epicurean Babe Ruth, as the finest of all teams to play in the city. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 30 May 2026

This often meant using classical design principles like restraint, order and geometric harmony, and adapting them by either simplifying the elements or using locally available materials instead of the expensive marble and other stones favored by the ancients. — Kevin D. Murphy, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2026

Another notable thinker after the ancients who addressed this question was Hobbes. — George G. Szpiro, Big Think, 9 Apr. 2026

With a life that nearly bookended the 20th century, modern dance titan Martha Graham had one eye on the ancients and another on the contemporary moment. — Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026