The Renaissance (French for "rebirth") is a term used to refer to the post-Roman cultural era that spanned roughly from 1251 AU (500 AD) to 2251 AU (1500 AD), beginning in Europe and later spreading to the rest of the former Roman Empire. As a cultural movement, it encompassed a resurgence of advanced learning, the development of greater technology, and gradual but widespread reform and improvement to the ancient sciences.