--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am studying ancient civilizations…" description: "\"I am studying ancient civilizations, trying to find what happened to them, finding out why they went into a decline, why they died.\" — L. Ron Hubbard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a86/l-ron-hubbard-881_ancient_i-am-studying-ancient-civilizations-tryi_1202745.jpg" --- # I am studying ancient civilizations, trying to find what… ![“I am studying ancient civilizations, trying to find what happened to them, finding out why they went into a decline, why they died.” quote by L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a86/l-ron-hubbard-881_ancient_i-am-studying-ancient-civilizations-tryi_1202745.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a86/l-ron-hubbard-881_ancient_i-am-studying-ancient-civilizations-tryi_1202745.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a86/l-ron-hubbard-881_ancient_i-am-studying-ancient-civilizations-tryi_1202745.jpg) > “I am studying ancient civilizations, trying to find what happened to them, finding out why they went into a decline, why they died.” [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Explores the causes behind the rise and fall of ancient societies, seeking patterns of decline and collapse. **In simple terms:** Looks at why ancient cultures fell apart. Key Takeaway Study history to learn from past failures. Themes history civilization decline archaeology Mood inquisitive reflective Type analytical educational When to use this quote - academic research - museum curation - educational curricula - public policy - cultural preservation Key Concepts causality entropy human resilience Questions to Reflect On - What lessons can modern societies draw from ancient collapses? - How do we differentiate myth from fact in archaeology? A Different Perspective Ancient data is often incomplete, leading to speculative conclusions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Ancient civilizations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-civilizations/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Civilizations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilizations/) [Decline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decline/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ## Related quotes > [I wanted to get the most broad foundation for a lifelong education that I could find, and that was studying Latin and the classics.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-blake-nelson/i-wanted-to-get-the-most-broad-foundation-for-a-lifelong-education/) [Tim Blake Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-blake-nelson/) > [“Isolationists believed that the ancient civilizations all developed independent of one another. Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, China, Egypt—all crossed a threshold into civilization about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-doherty/isolationists-believed-that-the-ancient-civilizations-all-developed/) Robert Doherty > [Civilizations grow by agreements and accomodations and accretions, not by repudiations. The rebels and the revolutionaries are only eddies, they keep the stream from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/civilizations-grow-by-agreements-and-accomodations-and-accretions-not/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [And so, inevitably, one returns to the centre of Western culture, Greece, and we have never, in any sense, lost our ties with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/and-so-inevitably-one-returns-to-the-centre-of-western-culture-greece/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) > [“Nature is technological relic of ancient civilizations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/nature-is-technological-relic-of-ancient-civilizations/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“The Sphinx, so old that it had watched the childhood of the world, plunged in unbroken contemplation, had seen civilizations rise to glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-brunton/the-sphinx-so-old-that-it-had-watched-the-childhood-of-the-world/) [Paul Brunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-brunton/) > [Here the artist is, as it were, an archaeologist, uncovering deeper and deeper strata as he works, recovering not an ancient civilization, but something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-nachmanovitch/here-the-artist-is-as-it-were-an-archaeologist-uncovering-deeper-and/) [Stephen Nachmanovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-nachmanovitch/) > [If we're thinking about old civilizations, those that formed a long time ago and there were stars and planets around long before Earth even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/if-we-re-thinking-about-old-civilizations-those-that-formed-a-long/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [“The ancient bones of our ancestors are like the roots of a great tree, reminding us to stay firmly grounded in our history. Yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raigon-stanley/the-ancient-bones-of-our-ancestors-are-like-the-roots-of-a-great-tree/) [Raigon Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raigon-stanley/) > [“Legends and folklores are the memories of ancient civilizations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninotaziz/legends-and-folklores-are-the-memories-of-ancient-civilizations/) ninotaziz > [“A belief that the ancients held unusual scientific knowledge, of which only fragments remain today, was held by many great philosophers and scientists who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-flynn/a-belief-that-the-ancients-held-unusual-scientific-knowledge-of-which/) [David Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-flynn/) > [“Secundus might lie rotting in his grave, but his relatives and followers yet lived. They believed the lies that held Gwenwhyfar responsible for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-mckeithen/secundus-might-lie-rotting-in-his-grave-but-his-relatives-and/) [Jennifer McKeithen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-mckeithen/) > [Pride in one's own race - and that does not imply contempt for other races - is also a normal and healthy sentiment. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/pride-in-one-s-own-race-and-that-does-not-imply-contempt-for-other/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The fast paced nature of our technologically-driven world seems to create issues that would appear to be foreign to ancient civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kim/the-fast-paced-nature-of-our-technologically-driven-world-seems-to/) [David Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kim/) > [Syria is the proud heir of an ancient civilization that has a unique spectrum of minorities that encompasses Muslims and Christians of various denominations.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-h-zewail/syria-is-the-proud-heir-of-an-ancient-civilization-that-has-a-unique/) [Ahmed H. Zewail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-h-zewail/) ## More by L. Ron Hubbard > [Oh yes! The one man in the world who never believes he's mad is the madman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/oh-yes-the-one-man-in-the-world-who-never-believes-he-s-mad-is-the/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [The African tribesman, with his complete contempt for truth and his emphasis on brutality and savagery for others but not for himself, is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/the-african-tribesman-with-his-complete-contempt-for-truth-and-his/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [See what you see, not what someone tells you that you see](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/see-what-you-see-not-what-someone-tells-you-that-you-see/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [Now it's of peculiar interest to an Arab country that there is a company and a certain set of bankers who also finance the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/now-it-s-of-peculiar-interest-to-an-arab-country-that-there-is-a/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [In all the broad Universe there is no other hope for Man than ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/in-all-the-broad-universe-there-is-no-other-hope-for-man-than/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [Now, get this as a technical fact, not a hopeful idea. Every time we have investigated the background of a critic of Scientology, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/now-get-this-as-a-technical-fact-not-a-hopeful-idea-every-time-we/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [I know no man who has any monopoly upon the wisdom of this universe. It belongs to those who can use it to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/i-know-no-man-who-has-any-monopoly-upon-the-wisdom-of-this-universe/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [One's attitude toward life makes every possible difference in one's living. You know, you don't have to study a thousand ancient books to discover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/one-s-attitude-toward-life-makes-every-possible-difference-in-one-s/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [“Recently there came a period when I had little to do. This was novel in a life so crammed with busy years, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/recently-there-came-a-period-when-i-had-little-to-do-this-was-novel/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [God was feeling sardonic the day He created the Universe. So it's rather up to at least one man every few centuries to pop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/god-was-feeling-sardonic-the-day-he-created-the-universe-so-it-s/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [The way out is the way through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/the-way-out-is-the-way-through/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/you-don-t-get-rich-writing-science-fiction-if-you-want-to-get-rich/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [One of the ways you learn about life is to associate with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/one-of-the-ways-you-learn-about-life-is-to-associate-with-people/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [Dianetics is a milestone for man comparable to his discovery of fire and superior to his invention of the wheel and the arch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/dianetics-is-a-milestone-for-man-comparable-to-his-discovery-of-fire/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [You can remember times when you were a kid, when life looked too doggoned deliciously beautiful to be left alone. So you could feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/you-can-remember-times-when-you-were-a-kid-when-life-looked-too/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) [Explore all 342 L. Ron Hubbard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [All the stories I have told you are finally as useless as all ancient knowledge is to man and to us. Its images and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/all-the-stories-i-have-told-you-are-finally-as-useless-as-all-ancient/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [Science has revealed a universe that is vast, ancient, violent, strange, and beautiful, a universe of almost infinite variety and possibility one in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/science-has-revealed-a-universe-that-is-vast-ancient-violent-strange/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) [Browse all 2,415 Ancient quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am studying ancient civilizations, trying to find what happened to them, finding out why they went into a decline, why they died.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "L. 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