Storiography & ages

[Rhye]

Italian storiography divides history in

Ancient ... - 476 A.D.
Middle Age 476 A.D. - 1492 A.D.
Modern Age 1492 A.D. - 1789 A.D.
Contemporary Age 1789 A.D. - ...


I wonder how's this in the other European countries and in America. (in civ3 for example it's different, and I don't like a fourth era only 1950-...)

 

[Kafka2]

English.

Pre-History- up to around 50 BC

Roman- 50BC- 410AD

Dark Ages- 410AD- 1066AD

Medieval- 1066Ad- 1400AD

Late Middle Ages- 1400AD- 1601AD

"Age of Reason"- 1601AD- 1714AD

Empire- 1714AD- 1939AD

Scrag End 1939- onwards

The dates are a bit controversial in places, but that's what I'd go for.

 

[Hitro]

Originally posted by Rhye
Italian storiography divides history in

Ancient ... - 476 A.D.
Middle Age 476 A.D. - 1492 A.D.
Modern Age 1492 A.D. - 1789 A.D.
Contemporary Age 1789 A.D. - ...


I wonder how's this in the other European countries and in America. (in civ3 for example it's different, and I don't like a fourth era only 1950-...)

I know different definitions, the one you gave is one of them, another is like that but sees everything since 1492 as one age. Then there are ones that divide history into more seperate parts but the two others are the most common ones.

 

[Rhye]

It is debated if it is better 476 or 410 or 455; 1492 or 1453; 1789 or 1815.
Never heard of seeing everthing since 1492 as a new age.

 

[Pangur Bán]

I'm not sure about a few things in this thread. Firstly, I'm not sure if periodization is an aspect of national cultures. Secondly, I'm not sure if "storiography" is a word. I'm guessing you mean "historiography".

 

[Rhye]

Hmmm. Yes, you're right.
In italian it is "Storiografia", so I searched "storiography" on google and found something. So I guess it exists?

 

[Pangur Bán]

61 results for it. Many are Italian sites, or have Hi- and Storiography separated. Some have storiography separated to add Her- for feminist reasons. Some people ignorantly think that History/Historiography comes from a compound of "his" and "story" - so it appears sexist. It actually comes from a Greek word meaning "inquiry"!

 

[Rhye]

but what about the topic...don't you know any other definition?

 

[Vrylakas]

Periodization is a controversial topic, though most historians use it. At best periodizations are relative, and usually very subjective. When did the Middle Ages end in Europe? Where in Europe are we talking? And what exactly were the Middle Ages? Why do we call them the Middle Ages? The answers to these questions are all modern answers - modern views of a past time - which means they are subject to change over time.

They are useful for laying out a brief outline of a subject's history, but should always be understood as "general/relative outlines", and not absolute.

 

[SoCalian]

I generaly though of history being divided like this:

Pre-Historic: ...-4000B.C(or invention of writing)
Ancient: 4000B.C.(writing)-500A.D(or fall of Roman Empire)
Middle Ages: 500A.D.(fall of Rome)-1492A.D(Columbus' discovery of America)
Imperial Age: 1492A.D(Columbus/begining of European Imperialism)-1945A.D(End of WWII and Imperialism)
Modern Times: 1945A.D(Atomic bomb)-...