The Renaissance was a period of European history that lasted from approximately the 14th century to the 17th century, beginning in the city-states of Italy before spreading across the rest of Europe. It was a time of renewed interest in the art, literature, and ideas of ancient Greece and Rome, and produced some of the most celebrated artists, thinkers, and inventors in all of human history. The Renaissance marked a major turning point between the Middle Ages and the modern world and laid the groundwork for the Scientific Revolution and the Age of Exploration.