Oh, really? So, the ancients landed men on the moon or had telescopes in orbit?
I can't give you a 100% correct, or satisfying answer for this question.
But, in recent history (and our known history is very young), the ancients did have observatories for sure. From birth,children where kept in dark rooms/chambers for years so their eyes could adapt to the dark more, so they can see the nightsky more clearly.
Some ancient texts reveal that our solar system had 12 planets, 7 where visible by the naked eye, as are today.
Also, it was known back then, that our planet was the 7th planet if you count it from the outside of the solar system ring(that is from the planet Pluto).
As for landing man on the surface on the Moon...I don't know, maybe back then,yes, but, I don't subscribe to the NASA fake Moon landing footage(yes I'm one of those,hehe).
It could be, that it has happened, but that one was not shown to the public.
All in all, I just don't like the so called modern society bashing and underestimating the works and knowledge of the past. We can learn from our ancestors, after all, there is nothing new under the Sun.