We have a plethora of information from before 1 BC. The Roman Republic, Greek City-states, and many of the Egyptian dynasties have extensive written records of their life and events, as does China and India. As for what life was like, you'd need to he more specific. Different classes and societies would lead very different lives. There are historians here who focus on these societies and would be more than happy to answer your questions if you asked for their specific field.