For instance…my father about 4 years ago lost all ability to successfully use a TV remote, telephones (To call), to drive, etc. He could read, was able to eat, handle self hygiene needs, etc. Our society notices the decline sooner because of the tech we use. However, 2000 years ago, the decline may not have been as noticeable until it hit the most advanced stages. At the advanced stages, hygiene, eating, etc… become difficult to impossible and these later stages back then would likely bring quicker physical declines and death than they do today.
60 - 70 seemed to be the upper ceiling for a very long time.
Being poor, however, has always sucked. Being wealthy always meant you lived longer.
The difference is that wealth concentration was much more strongly localized and concentrated in the past. And the famous people, who you have heard of, were generally the more wealthy people.