The article attempts the explication of influence of ancient traditions on the formation of the philosophy of history of Karl Marx. The author analyzes the philosophical and historical views of Homer, Hesiod, Heraclitus, Empedocles, Epicurus, Herodotus and Thucydides. In each case author shows the influence of these ancient thinkers on the Marx’s philosophy. Special attention is given to the teaching of Heraclitus on the totality of coming-into-being (γένεσις) through the struggle of opposites, contraposition of fate (fatum, εἱμαρμένη, μοῖρα) and fortuity (fortuna, τύχη), as well as the teachings of Epicurus about random deviations of atoms. In the article on the example of the ancient philosophy of history we show the richness and complexity of traditions and views that underlie the materialist conception of history of Karl Marx.