Basic of Ancient History - Historian | Dating | Eras & Calender

Basic of Ancient History - Historian | Dating | Eras & Calender

History is the study of past stories of the events, peoples and countries that have brought political, social and economical changes to the society.

• History : Historia (Greek Word - means Research , Inquiry and Investigation)
• Herodotus (484 BC-425 BC) : Greek Historian (First real historian of the world) - "The Histories (430 BC)" Book written by him. And also know as "The Father of History".
• Cicero (106 BC-43 BC) : Roman Historian
• Leopold Von Ranke (1795-1886 AD) : German (The Father of Modern History)
• Hegel (1770-1831 AD) : German (History Repeat Itself)
• Karl Marx (1818-83 AD) : German (History repeats itself , first as tragedy , second as farce)
• E.H. Carr (1892-1982 AD) : British (History is an unending dialogue between past and present)

SYSTEM OF DATING

• BC ( Before Christ) : Before the birth of Jesus (Ex. Buddha Birth - 563 BC & Died - 483 BC ; Alexander Birth - 356 BC & Died - 323 BC)
• AD (Anno Domini) : After the birth of Jesus (Ex. Jesus Crucified - 30 AD ; Hazrat Muhammed Birth - 570 AD & Died - 632 AD)
• Decade : Period of 10 year
• First Half of the Century : First 50 year (1st to 50th year)
• Second Half of the Century : Last 50 year (50th to 100th year)
• Century : Period of 100 year
• Millenium : Period of 1,000 year
• Circa - Ca/c : If the exact date is not know then the word "Circa" is used with the date.

IMPORTANT ERAS

• Kali Eras (3101 BC) : Began 20 years after the end of Mahabharat War
• Saptarshi/Laukika Eras (3076 BC) : Started after the expire of 25 Kali year
• Vikrama/Krjta/Malawa Eras (58/57 BC) : Vikramaditya (Ujjayini/Malawa) to commemorate the victory over Sakas
• Saka Eras (78 AD) : Kanishka (Kushan Rular) Saka Eras is known as Salivahana Sakabda in South India and Government of India adopted Saka Era along with the Gregorian Calendar on 22nd March 1957 (1st Chaitra 1879 Saka)
• Kalchuri Eras (248 AD) : Abhir King Ishwar Sen (Found) Later used by Traikutaka Rular and Kalchuris of Chedi
• Gupta Eras (319-20 AD) : Chandragupta-I (Found) and Maitrakas of Valabhi used this era with a new name "Valabhi Samvata"
• Harsha Eras (606 AD) : Harshavardhana of Kannauj (Found)
• Hijri Eras (622 AD) : Umar (Found) , the 2nd Caliphate of Khilafat empire to commemorate the hijrat from Macca to Madina by Hazrat Muhammad
• Kollam Eras (825 AD) : Use in Malabar (Kerala)
• Nevari/Nepali Eras (879 AD) : Founded by Jaydeo Mall
• Chalukya Vikrama Eras (1076 AD) : Founded by Vikramaditya-VI (Chalukya ruler of Kalyani)
• Lakshmana Eras (1119 AD) : Founded by Sen ruler of Bengal Lakshmana Sen
• Ilahi Eras (1584) : Founded by Akbar but 1658 AD Aurangzeb abolished the use of Ilahi Era
• Raj Saka Eras (1673 AD) : Founded by Chhatrapati Shivaji 

CALENDAR

• Julean Calender : 46 BC by Roman King Juleus Caesar
• Christian Calendar : 527 AD by Monk Dionysius Exguus
• Gregorian Calendar : 1582 AD by Roman Pope Gregory-XIII

PERIOD

Bipartite Division : Pre-Historic & Historic

Tripartite Division : Pre-Historic , Proto-Historic and Historic

• Pre-Historic Period (30,00,000 BC - 2500 BC) : No Written Evidence (Ex. Lithic Stone Period)
• Proto-Historic Period (2500 BC - 600 BC) : Written Evidence Available but not been confirmed (Ex. Indus Valley Civilization)
• Historic Period (600 BC - till date) : Written Evidence Available and Also Read

CHRISTOPH CELLARIUS (1638 - 1707 AD)

Divide history into three period :

Ancient India (Beginning - 647 AD) : From Lithic/Stone Period to death of Harsha

• Pre-Historic Period (30,00,000 BC - 600 BC)
• Indus Valley Civilization (2500 BC - 1750 BC)
• Vedic Culture (1500 BC - 600 BC)
• Mahajanapada Period (600 BC - 322 BC)
• Maurya Period (322 BC - 185 BC)
• Post-Maurya / Pre-Gupta Period (185 BC - 319 AD)
• Gupta Period (319 AD - 550 AD)
• Post-Gupta Period/Vardhana Dynasty (550 AD - 647 AD)

Medieval India (647 AD - 1757 AD) : From death of Harsha to the battle of Plassey

• Early Medieval Period (647 - 1206 AD)
• Sultanate Period (1206 - 1526 AD)
• Mughal Period (1526 - 1707 AD)

Modern India (1757 - till date) : From the battle of Plassey to till date

Stages of British Colonialism

Ist Phase : The Mercantile Phase (1757 - 1813 AD)  

• Monopoly of trade & Direct appropriation of revenue
• British Policy toward Native States of India - Ring Fence Policy (1757 - 1813)

2nd Phase : The Industrial phase (1813 - 1858)

• Period of Lassez Fair (Free Trade)
• British Policy toward Native States of India - Subordinate Isolation Policy (1813 - 1858)

3rd Phase : The Financial Phase (1860 - 1947)

• Finance Imperlism (Period of British Capital Investment in India)
• British Policy toward Native States of India - Subordinate Union Policy (1858 - 1935) & Equal Federation Policy (1935 - 1947)

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