Where would you "divide" history?
- Thread starter CommieScum
- Start date
I would mostly agree with this with some small changes:
I would add in a Late Antiquity from Constantine to the rise of Islam so 313-622 or 313-636 (the battle of Yarmouk)
I also think that early and late middle ages I would rather divide in 1071, Matzikert
I agree. The Battle of Manzikert is more significant than Hastings. The mass movement of Turks had a greater impact on history than moving England from the Scandanavian to the Continental sphere. England would have eventually gone Norman to some degree as Scotland did later. In fact the Normans had already started to infiltrate England although Harold put to a stop to it. In contrast if the Turks had been blocked from Anatolia there is no Ottoman Empire in the Balkans. You are lookling at a very different time line.
For practicality, an even 10 000 makes sense. But the start of the Holocene is now defined at 9700 BCE.
I'd go with that as the start of my calendar. I.e. we'd now be in the year 11723.
With new years set at the northern vernal equinox, of course. Not 9-10 days after northern winter solstice, that doesn't make any sense.
And leap days go in between new years eve & new years day. With new years eve and leap days as days outside the regular week cycle, thus making the 7 day week work with the solar year.
IFC adds an extra month (Sol) so each is 28 days, with the 365th day between December 28 and January 1, with the leap day going between June 28 and Sol 1. Both are outside of the calendar. It accommodates the seven-day week so well every date in the system falls on the same day every year.
Why not stick with with works? Like most, I'd say we just keep using the Unix epoch.
Seconds past the epoch (00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970, as humans would say) are positive, seconds before the epoch are negative, and we won't run into any problems as long as we use 64 bit integers. u_u
Seconds past the epoch (00:00:00 UTC on 1 January 1970, as humans would say) are positive, seconds before the epoch are negative, and we won't run into any problems as long as we use 64 bit integers. u_u
I'd choose 842 BC, one year prior to the start of the Gonghe Regency, as year 0 of the Chinese solar calendar, making this year AG 2864.
When China encountered the western Christian linear year counting system, two starting date for a Chinese calendar had been proposed, the Yellow Emperor (Huángdì) year and the Confucius year. Yellow emperor was most probably mythical and too early, Confucius was controversial and too late.
Gonghe was the most honest starting date for a sino-centric world-view, as most events happening in prior to that was difficult to date. It would be much more honest than the Japanese Imperial years/Koki, as Emperor Jimmu was more than certainly mythical. Dating the start of the Chinese calendar from a rebellion would also remind the nation about the fragility of its society. In this calendar:
Zhou Dynasty was founded on c.204 b.G.
The Conpatriots Rebellion happened on 1 AG.
Confucius was born on 290 AG
China was unified on 620 AG
Wang Mang was dead on 865 AG
The ROC was founded on 2753 AG
As China's influences expands internationally, non Chinese who would be willing to adopt this calendar out of convenience, as it was blatantly national, without the false pretence as being a "universal" or "common era" calendar. When they do so, they would find such a starting date more appropriate than, say, the (misattributed) birth year of Jesus:
The late bronze age collapse happened round 4th century bG
Homer's epics were written around 80 AG +-50 years.
Battle of Marathon happened on 490 AG
Yesus al Masih was born circa 836 AG
Rome existed between 89AG and 2295AG.
You see, most of the important historical events that could be accurately dated falls after year 0, eliminating the necessity to count backwards.
When China encountered the western Christian linear year counting system, two starting date for a Chinese calendar had been proposed, the Yellow Emperor (Huángdì) year and the Confucius year. Yellow emperor was most probably mythical and too early, Confucius was controversial and too late.
Gonghe was the most honest starting date for a sino-centric world-view, as most events happening in prior to that was difficult to date. It would be much more honest than the Japanese Imperial years/Koki, as Emperor Jimmu was more than certainly mythical. Dating the start of the Chinese calendar from a rebellion would also remind the nation about the fragility of its society. In this calendar:
Zhou Dynasty was founded on c.204 b.G.
The Conpatriots Rebellion happened on 1 AG.
Confucius was born on 290 AG
China was unified on 620 AG
Wang Mang was dead on 865 AG
The ROC was founded on 2753 AG
As China's influences expands internationally, non Chinese who would be willing to adopt this calendar out of convenience, as it was blatantly national, without the false pretence as being a "universal" or "common era" calendar. When they do so, they would find such a starting date more appropriate than, say, the (misattributed) birth year of Jesus:
The late bronze age collapse happened round 4th century bG
Homer's epics were written around 80 AG +-50 years.
Battle of Marathon happened on 490 AG
Yesus al Masih was born circa 836 AG
Rome existed between 89AG and 2295AG.
You see, most of the important historical events that could be accurately dated falls after year 0, eliminating the necessity to count backwards.
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Here is my suggestion
Post Cold War = PCW 1 = 1984
War Against Terrorism = WAT 1 = 1999
New Cold War = NCW = 2014
American Presidential Dating
Bush II 1 = 2001
Obama 1 = 2009
DJT 1 = 2017
Post Cold War = PCW 1 = 1984
War Against Terrorism = WAT 1 = 1999
New Cold War = NCW = 2014
American Presidential Dating
Bush II 1 = 2001
Obama 1 = 2009
DJT 1 = 2017
Concerned Brazilian
Gone Fishin'
I believe the formation of the Roman Empire is a better cutoff for history than the birth of Jesus. Or if we go further back, the Neo-Assyrian Empire.
666 BCE: the first year in which Egyptology can date events accurately to the day they occured. Thus, 666 BCE is year 1 of the Recorded Era (RE).
It is currently the 2689th year within (accurately) recorded human history.
Writing was invented around -2700 RE.
Rome fell in 1140 RE. America was discovered in 2158. The first man in space was in 2627.
It is currently the 2689th year within (accurately) recorded human history.
Writing was invented around -2700 RE.
Rome fell in 1140 RE. America was discovered in 2158. The first man in space was in 2627.
666? Now thats just naughty!
Good reasoning though
While I dont agree, I do think this is a good justification for using the Ab Urbe Condita calendar
I think that would only work for a TL like Burning the Chauldron and Nergal where the assyrians were utterly triumphant
We are, I was giving you examples of other TLs where that would work better than our own which is the one we're discussing
Concerned Brazilian
Gone Fishin'
Thanks, I see your point as Christianity had the most impact on the world stage.
I have 0 thoughts on a Calendar Idea, but for a Non-Western Centric periodization of "Universal Human History", I would suggest:
1rst Age. 200 000 BC-10 000 BC Origins of Humans, Expansion of Homo Sapiens over Africa and Eurasia, eventual disappearance of other Hominids
2nd Age ca. 10 000 BC-5500 BC End of the last major Ice Age and last massive climate change, massive migration, settlement of the Americas and parts of the Pacific, and beginning of the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods
3rd Age-ca. 5500 BC-1100 BC the beginning of River Valley Civilizations in Eurasia, the Andes and Mesoamerica, rise of the first States
4th Age ca. 1100 BC-550 BC Bronze Age Collapse seems like a good moment to split the Timeline, also, relatively contemporary with the fall of the Shang, the beginning of the Bantu migrations and the start of the Olmec and Tiahuanaku civilizations
5th Age 550 BC - 200 AD the time of the first Universal Empires in Eurasia and parts of Africa, the Yamato Era in Japan, First Kingdoms in Southeast Asia and the start of the Maya and the Nazca, Jahapanadas and rise of the Maurya in India, beginning of the Axial Age in Philosophy and Religion in Eurasia
6th Age 200 AD - 650 AD the Crisis of the Third Century, Great Migrations and Fall of Rome in Europe, the Three Kingdoms in China, Turkish Steppe Empires, the Gupta in India, Axum in Ethiopia, rise of the first West African Empires, Classic Mayan
7th Age 600 AD - 1500 AD Birth, Expansion and Golden Age of Islam, Rise of European Kingdoms and Feudal System, Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming in China, Mongol Expansion and Fragmentation, Black Plague, Major African Empires, Polynesian Migration and Colonization of the Pacific, Indianization and later Islamization of Southeast Asia, several Mesoamerican and Andean Civilizations and Empires
8th Age 1500 AD - 1800 the definitive arrival of Europeans in the Americas and their exploring and colonizing of everywhere seems like another major split point in the timeline, also, the Golden Age and beginning of decadence for the Ottomans and the Mings, Rise of the Qing, Japanese Sengoku and Tokugawa Eras, Mughals in India, Little Ice Age, General Crisis of the XVI Century, more African Empires and Kingdoms
9th Age 1800 AD - 1945 AD Industrial Revolution, Global Hegemony of the West, Chemical Fertilizers, Demographic Growth, World Wars, Capitalism, Modern Conceptions of Nation-States, Nationalism, birth of Communism and Fascism
10th Age 1945-present day: worldwide transition from absolute Monarchy to some form of Republic or Constitutional Monarchy, decolonization, United Nations, the decadence of the West, Rise of China as a Global Superpower, Nuclear Energy and Weaponry, Green Revolution, Massive Demographic Growth, Genetics, Human-Induced Climate Change, beginning of Space Exploration, Information Technology and the Internet
Maybe the next one could start with the beginning of Space Colonization
I'm no historian or expert on any particular period, so, please, if I made any mistake or overgeneralization, you are welcome to correct and criticize my proposal.
Also, if anyone comes up with cool Non Western Centric, AoE-style names for each age, feel free to comment
1rst Age. 200 000 BC-10 000 BC Origins of Humans, Expansion of Homo Sapiens over Africa and Eurasia, eventual disappearance of other Hominids
2nd Age ca. 10 000 BC-5500 BC End of the last major Ice Age and last massive climate change, massive migration, settlement of the Americas and parts of the Pacific, and beginning of the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods
3rd Age-ca. 5500 BC-1100 BC the beginning of River Valley Civilizations in Eurasia, the Andes and Mesoamerica, rise of the first States
4th Age ca. 1100 BC-550 BC Bronze Age Collapse seems like a good moment to split the Timeline, also, relatively contemporary with the fall of the Shang, the beginning of the Bantu migrations and the start of the Olmec and Tiahuanaku civilizations
5th Age 550 BC - 200 AD the time of the first Universal Empires in Eurasia and parts of Africa, the Yamato Era in Japan, First Kingdoms in Southeast Asia and the start of the Maya and the Nazca, Jahapanadas and rise of the Maurya in India, beginning of the Axial Age in Philosophy and Religion in Eurasia
6th Age 200 AD - 650 AD the Crisis of the Third Century, Great Migrations and Fall of Rome in Europe, the Three Kingdoms in China, Turkish Steppe Empires, the Gupta in India, Axum in Ethiopia, rise of the first West African Empires, Classic Mayan
7th Age 600 AD - 1500 AD Birth, Expansion and Golden Age of Islam, Rise of European Kingdoms and Feudal System, Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming in China, Mongol Expansion and Fragmentation, Black Plague, Major African Empires, Polynesian Migration and Colonization of the Pacific, Indianization and later Islamization of Southeast Asia, several Mesoamerican and Andean Civilizations and Empires
8th Age 1500 AD - 1800 the definitive arrival of Europeans in the Americas and their exploring and colonizing of everywhere seems like another major split point in the timeline, also, the Golden Age and beginning of decadence for the Ottomans and the Mings, Rise of the Qing, Japanese Sengoku and Tokugawa Eras, Mughals in India, Little Ice Age, General Crisis of the XVI Century, more African Empires and Kingdoms
9th Age 1800 AD - 1945 AD Industrial Revolution, Global Hegemony of the West, Chemical Fertilizers, Demographic Growth, World Wars, Capitalism, Modern Conceptions of Nation-States, Nationalism, birth of Communism and Fascism
10th Age 1945-present day: worldwide transition from absolute Monarchy to some form of Republic or Constitutional Monarchy, decolonization, United Nations, the decadence of the West, Rise of China as a Global Superpower, Nuclear Energy and Weaponry, Green Revolution, Massive Demographic Growth, Genetics, Human-Induced Climate Change, beginning of Space Exploration, Information Technology and the Internet
Maybe the next one could start with the beginning of Space Colonization
I'm no historian or expert on any particular period, so, please, if I made any mistake or overgeneralization, you are welcome to correct and criticize my proposal.
Also, if anyone comes up with cool Non Western Centric, AoE-style names for each age, feel free to comment
Only on a political level - some would argue that the birth of Jesus is a better cutoff at a cultural level, at least where Europe is concerned.
1st Age: On current science it goes back to 300,000 BC. End looks a bit late but happy to go with it. However, the rise of agriculture was considered a factor then I would say spot on.
2nd to 7th Age. No disagreement except for the Polynesian migration. Hundreds of years before the start of the 7th Age they had already expanded into the western Pacific. Also they were relatively small in numbers compared with other groups.
8th, 9th Age. For the 8th Age the defination of the Europeans in Americas needs improving as it has been shown that the Norse reached North America. For the end date of it I would remove the 9th Age and put the end of the 8th Age and the start of the 10th Age at 1835. The reason for this date is the rise of commerical electrical telegraphy. Whilst there were earlier forms of telegraphy it was only when electricial telegraphy was developed that you have links across oceans.
10th Age. Agree with the description but not as noted above the start date.
11th Age. Agree.