Have you ever thought about how long you’d live if you were born in a different time? The truth is, most of our ancestors didn’t live very long—not because they aged faster, but because life was just…well, harder. Imagine having no modern medicine, sanitation, or even basic hygiene. Simple things like a cut could turn deadly, and childbirth was often a gamble.
If you look at the facts, it’s easy to see how drastically life expectancy changed in each era. Sure, people in prehistoric times didn’t exactly have long retirements, but the way our life spans have evolved is a fascinating mix of survival, medical breakthroughs, and just plain luck.
Here’s a snapshot of life expectancy in 14 different historical periods, from prehistory to today. Spoiler alert, we’re living a lot longer now, but it’s been a wild ride to get here.
1. Prehistory (2.5 million – 10,000 BC)
If you think about prehistoric humans, your first mental image might be a group of people barely scraping by. And you wouldn’t be wrong. Life expectancy during this time hovered around 20 to 30 years, mostly due to high infant mortality. But if you survived childhood, you had a decent shot at making it to 40 or even 50. Not too shabby considering you were dodging predators and constantly hunting for your next meal.
Life was rough. A cut could get infected, and you didn’t have antibiotics to fall back on. Injuries, disease, and the sheer harshness of the environment kept people from living much longer than that.
2. Ancient Egypt (3,100 – 30 BC)
Life expectancy in Ancient Egypt was around 22 to 35 years, with females living almost 10 years longer than men on average. But again, those numbers are heavily skewed by infant mortality. If you made it past the dangerous early years, living into your 50s wasn’t out of the question—especially if you were among the wealthy.
Egyptians dealt with diseases like malaria and tuberculosis, which took a serious toll on the population. But they also had some understanding of hygiene and medicine, which helped them survive longer than their prehistoric ancestors.
3. Classical Greece (500 – 300 BC)
In ancient Greece, the average life expectancy was a little better, between 20 to 35 years. As always, surviving childhood was key. Once you got through those tumultuous early years, you had a shot at living into your 50s or beyond—if you weren’t a soldier constantly dodging death in battle.
Greeks were big on philosophy and science, but sanitation was still an issue. Poor hygiene, combined with the constant threat of war, kept life expectancy lower than it might have been otherwise.
4. Roman Empire (27 BC – 476 AD)
In the Roman Empire, life expectancy was around 25 to 30 years on average, but that accounts for high child mortality rates, the death of soldiers, and maternal deaths, which all skew the data. If you persisted past the typical stages of life where others perished, you could live well into your 60s.
Additionally, city life in Rome had its advantages—public baths and early sewage systems—but also its share of drawbacks. Crowded cities were a breeding ground for diseases.
Romans had a decent grasp of medicine and hygiene compared to earlier civilizations, but plagues and infections still ravaged the population. Life could be good for the rich, but diseases didn’t discriminate.
5. Medieval Europe (500 – 1500 AD)
The Middle Ages weren’t exactly a golden time for life expectancy. Most people lived around 30 years, thanks in part to plagues, famines, and wars. The Black Death alone wiped out a massive portion of Europe’s population in the 14th century.
If you survived the Black Death and other plagues, and if you managed to avoid dying in war or childbirth, you might make it to your 50s. But that was a big “if” in a time when medical knowledge was almost non-existent.
6. Renaissance (14th – 17th Century)
The Renaissance brought a small boost in life expectancy, with people living between 35 and 40 years on average. Medicine and science were making strides, but it was still hit or miss depending on where you lived and how much money you had.
The wealthy could afford better living conditions and early forms of medical care, while the poor were left to fend for themselves. Diseases were still rampant, but cleaner water and better nutrition gave people a slight edge over their medieval ancestors.
7. Colonial America (1607 – 1776)
In Colonial America, life expectancy ranged from 35 to 50 years depending on where you lived. Northern colonies, with their cooler climate and better sanitation, saw people living longer, while the hot, disease-ridden southern colonies struggled.
Childbirth was still risky, and diseases like malaria made southern life dangerous. But in areas with fewer people and more space, life expectancy was a bit higher. If you were lucky, you could make it to your 50s, especially if you avoided war and disease.
8. Industrial Revolution (1760 – 1840)
The Industrial Revolution was a time of massive change, but not always for the better when it came to life expectancy. In overcrowded, polluted cities, life expectancy dropped as low as 29 years. Factory work, child labor, and diseases like cholera spread quickly in these conditions.
People in rural areas fared better, with life spans closer to 40 years. Toward the end of the era, though, vaccinations and better sanitation started making a difference.
9. Victorian Era (1837 – 1901)
By the Victorian era, life expectancy had risen to around 40 to 45 years. Medical advancements and improvements in public health—like the development of sewer systems—helped a lot. But diseases like tuberculosis and cholera still ravaged the population, particularly in cities.
For the wealthy, life could be long and comfortable. But the working class, dealing with poor living conditions and hard labor, didn’t see the same benefits.
10. Early 20th Century (1900 – 1940)
![Treating an influenza patient, 1918. [World War I]](https://i0.wp.com/www.newinterestingfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Treating-an-influenza-patient-1918.-World-War-I.jpg?resize=1024%2C576&ssl=1 "What Life Expectancy Looked Like Across Each Era 10")
At the start of the 20th century, life expectancy climbed to about 50 years. Public health initiatives, better nutrition, and the discovery of antibiotics like penicillin changed the game.
But the early 1900s were also marked by World War I and the Spanish flu pandemic, which decreased average life spans for a brief period. Even so, medical advances laid the foundation for the longer lives we enjoy today.
11. Post-War Era (1945 – 1960)
After World War II, life expectancy shot up to around 65 years. Antibiotics, vaccines, and improved surgical techniques were major factors, as was the overall increase in wealth and stability during this time.
People were eating better, living better, and surviving illnesses that would’ve killed their grandparents. It was the start of the modern age of long, healthy lives—though it wasn’t equal for everyone.
12. Late 20th Century (1960 – 2000)
By the late 20th century, life expectancy had reached around 70 years in developed countries. Medical science was advancing at a rapid pace, tackling diseases like heart disease and cancer that had once been certain death sentences.
But the rise of new challenges like the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s reminded the world that no matter how far we’ve come, there’s always something else to fight. Still, on the whole, people were living longer and healthier than ever before.
13. Early 21st Century (2000 – 2020)
At the turn of the century, global life expectancy hit around 72 years. Medical advancements, better nutrition, and global efforts to combat diseases like malaria pushed the numbers higher.
Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused a temporary drop in life expectancy in some regions, but overall, the trend remains positive. The focus now is not just on living longer, but on living better in those later years.
14. Present Day (2020 – Now)
Today, life expectancy in many developed countries is well into the 70s and 80s. Advances in technology and medicine have made it possible for people to survive illnesses and conditions that were once fatal.
However, lifestyle-related diseases like diabetes and heart disease are the new challenges we face. Even so, we’re living longer than ever before, and it’s likely that trend will continue—though the quality of those extra years is still something society is figuring out.
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With an honors degree in financial engineering, Omega Ukama deeply understands finance. Before pursuing journalism, he honed his skills at a private equity firm, giving him invaluable real-world experience. This combination of financial literacy and journalistic flair allows him to translate complex financial matters into clear and concise insights for his readers.
With an honors degree in financial engineering, Omega Ukama deeply understands finance. Before pursuing journalism, he honed his skills at a private equity firm, giving him invaluable real-world experience. This combination of financial literacy and journalistic flair allows him to translate complex financial matters into clear and concise insights for his readers.
