“Not only the wisdom of millennia – their madness too breaks out in us. It is dangerous to be an heir.” ~ Nietzsche in Thus Spake Zarathustra
Zarathustra’s insight is that from the past people inherit not only ancient wisdom but also ancient madness. The older the civilization, the greater is the burden of history, which is the burden of ancient wisdom and madness. A Civilization falls when it gets crushed under this burden—Zarathustra rightly notes, “it is dangerous to be an heir.”
Since the debates of history are interminable, it is impossible for history texts to articulate a definite view of the character of any ancient civilization. What have we inherited from the past? A precise answer to this question is not possible.