Yeah, I'm unpersuaded as to the definition of "modern" here. A lot of Aristophanes' work (c. 405-423 BC) still holds up today, if one understands the politics of the time.
You usually don't call the antique classicists modern, just after the resurrection of the antique in the renaissance and despisal of all unscientific myths, ghosts and religious rubbish you can call them so.