Ancient warfare is
war as conducted from the beginnings of
recorded history to the end of the
ancient period. In
Europe and the
Near East, the end of antiquity is often equated with the
Fall of Rome in 476, the wars of the Eastern Roman Empire on its Southwestern Asian and North African borders, and the beginnings of the
Muslim conquests in the 7th century. In
China, it can also be seen as ending with the growing role of mounted warriors needed to counter the ever-growing threat from the north in the 5th century and the beginning of the
Tang Dynasty in 618. In
India, the ancient period ends with the decline of the
Gupta Empire (6th century) and the beginning of the
Muslim conquests there from the 8th century. In
Japan, the ancient period can be taken to end with the rise of
feudalism in the
Kamakura period in the 12-13th century.