Meaning

• Having lasted from a remote period; having been of long duration; of great age, very old.

  "an ancient city  an ancient forest"

• Existent or occurring in time long past, usually in remote ages; belonging to or associated with antiquity; old, as opposed to modern.

  "an ancient author  an ancient empire"

• (history) Relating to antiquity as a primarily European historical period; the time before the Middle Ages.

• Experienced; versed.

• Former; sometime.

Meaning

• (properly) Of or relating to the epoch before written record.