Glossary of Historical Terms

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AD (Anno Domini): Latin for "in the year of the Lord". A calendar era system used to number years after the traditionally reckoned birth of Christ. Equivalent to CE (Common Era).
Ancient History: The period of history generally covering human civilisation from its earliest written records (c. 3500 BC) up to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD.
Anno Domini: See AD.

BC (Before Christ): A calendar system used to number years before the traditionally reckoned birth of Christ. Equivalent to BCE (Before Common Era). Note: years in BC count backwards — 100 BC is earlier than 50 BC.
BCE (Before Common Era): A secular alternative to BC, used interchangeably. 500 BCE = 500 BC.

CE (Common Era): A secular alternative to AD. 1 CE = 1 AD. Used widely in academic and cross-cultural contexts.
Century: A period of 100 years. The 20th century ran from 1 January 1901 to 31 December 2000. Note: the 21st century began on 1 January 2001.
Circa (c.): Latin for "approximately". Used when an exact date is uncertain, e.g. "c. 450 BC" means around 450 BC.
Civilisation: A complex human society characterised by urban development, social stratification, symbolic communication (writing), and a perceived separation from and domination over the natural environment.

Dark Ages: A historically outdated and contested term once applied to the Early Middle Ages in Europe (c. 5th–10th centuries AD), implying a period of cultural and economic decline after the fall of the Roman Empire. Modern historians largely avoid the term.
Decade: A period of 10 years.
Dynasty: A sequence of rulers from the same family, stock, or group. For example, the Ming Dynasty of China, or the Tudor Dynasty of England.

Era: A long and distinct period of history with a particular defining characteristic. On Histories Today, events are classified as BC or AD.
Epoch: A period of time marked by notable events or particular characteristics; often used in geology and cosmology as well as history.

Golden Age: A period considered to be a high point of culture, achievement, or prosperity for a given civilisation or domain. For example, the Golden Age of Islam (8th–13th centuries).

Historiography: The study of how history is written — the methods, approaches, and development of the discipline of history over time.

Medieval (Middle Ages): The period of European history from the fall of the Western Roman Empire (c. 476 AD) to the beginning of the Renaissance (c. 14th century). Often further divided into Early, High, and Late Middle Ages.
Millennium: A period of 1,000 years. The second millennium CE ran from 1001 to 2000.
Modern History: Broadly, the period from the end of the Middle Ages (c. 1500) to the present. Sometimes divided into Early Modern (c. 1500–1789), Modern (1789–1914), and Contemporary (1914–present).

Prehistory: The period of human history before written records existed. Prehistory is studied through archaeology, anthropology, and other sciences rather than written documents.
Primary Source: An original, firsthand document or artefact from the time period being studied — diaries, letters, official records, photographs, artefacts.

Renaissance: A cultural and intellectual movement that began in Italy in the 14th century and spread through Europe, characterised by a revival of interest in classical Greek and Roman art, literature, and learning.
Revolution: A fundamental and rapid change in political power, social structures, or economic conditions. Examples include the French Revolution (1789) and the Industrial Revolution (c. 1760–1840).

Secondary Source: A work that analyses, interprets, or summarises primary sources — textbooks, biographies, documentaries.

Timeline: A visual or chronological list of events arranged in the order in which they occurred. Histories Today allows users to create custom timelines grouping related events.