Historical period

Since the 16th century, time has been divided into periods which have their own characteristics.

It is the humanists who speak first of the period. They define their period as that of the Renaissance, and the period before them as that of the Middle Ages.

Subsequently, in the 19th century, history became a true science, and periodization was legitimized. Each period has its own characteristics, a particular meaning. A period is delimited by specific dates. There are different forms of periodization. You can rely on:

A reign: period when a sovereign is in power;

An era: period that begins with an important event considered as a turning point;

An epoch: period marked by certain facts;

An age: long period with a particular characteristic;

A century: period of one hundred years.