Greece and Rome would consider Egypt ancient, as for example, Julius Caesar is closer to us in years than he would be to the building of the Pyramids. Herodotus , a Greek Historian also mentions that he thinks the Greek gods of the classical period are sourced from the Egyptian gods.

It's really relative. For instance, Procopius who lived in 6th century AD compared Roman soldiers of his period with "ancient" legionaries from 2nd century AD.

The entire received 'Confucian Tradition' assumes itself to be based on a 5th century BCE throwback to an imagined 11th century BCE utopia and these Ancients' own even earlier linkages to what today would be considered mythologies.

Philo of Alexandria was a Hellenistic-Jewish philosopher who lived around the same time as Christ. The philosophical movement he was a part of is referred to as "Middle-Platonism." He lived in Alexandria, a crossroads of philosophical exchange in the Roman Empire. In his attempts at a syncretism of Greek philosophy and Jewish theology, he would write about the similarities of Mosaic Law to Platonic teaching. A tradition developed that Plato learned from and appealed to the more ancient figure of Moses. There are similar appeals in Christian thought. The connexion to Judaism and the Old Testament was a cornerstone for many early Christian writers refuting accusations that they were "Johnny come Lately" to the religious landscape.