The 1500s are ancient now? I wonder what that makes the classical world. For historians, the 1500s are modern times. The early modern period was traditionally

The 1500s are ancient now? I wonder what that makes the classical world. For historians, the 1500s are modern times. The early modern period was traditionally "from Columbus to Napoleon", but these days is generally reckoned in round numbers, 1500 to 1800. Prior to 1500 is the Middle Ages (500-1500, overlapping with "late antiquity" from 300 to 700); after 1800s is either "modernity" or "middle modernity". It's anyone's guess whether the contemporary world can be called "late modern" or not; but the 1500s can hardly be called ancient.