Part 3/14:
This outlook persisted until the 15th and 16th centuries in the West, where the emergence of the idea of progress marked a fundamental shift. During this era, people began to question whether modern humans could surpass the achievements of the ancient civilizations—Greece, Rome, and even the pyramids of Egypt. This skepticism was deeply rooted in reverence for the accomplishments of antiquity, leading many to believe that the heights of ancient civilization were unreachable.