Top 10 Best Historical Periods

Humans have been on Earth for 250,000 years. What was the best and most interesting historical period?
The Top Ten
1 Renaissance

I thought this was a "best" time period list. The Renaissance was the best for the world we know today. The middle ages should be nowhere near number one. They are called the dark ages for a reason. And if you do not know the reasons for which the obtained that title, study your history.

Absolutely my favorite era in the history of mankind, with the Industrial Revolution at a close second. It lead us out of the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It's name means "Rebirth" after, all. Can't go wrong with that. It was the "Age of Enlightenment", when artists, mathematicians, physicians, and architects all thrived with creativity and ingenuity. Polymaths such as Leonardo the Vinci, William Shakespeare, Galileo Galilei, Michelangelo, Christopher Columbus and many more paved the paths that would lead us to the innovations we interact with today, as well as many of the cultures that surround us.

It was at this time when modern diplomacy began to develop, science and observation advanced in numerous ways, humanism started to dominate education and religion, music became a universal language, art blossomed into a variety of beautiful techniques, ideas became the gateways to modern invention and practice, and overall acted as a beacon that spread a unique and ...more

This is simply the best period seeing as it provides the basics for all modern knowledge. It was an insightful time in history just as the name suggest it was a "rebirth"

The rediscovery of the arts of Ancient Greece and Rome is absolutely amazing to learn about. The Medici family and Florence are especially interesting!

2 Ancient Greece/Rome

Very interesting, cool, and influential periods of time. It's fun learning about them and what they created. But again, every time period has flaws like wars, political unrest, economic problems, and gender inequality (particularly in ancient Athens, but gender equality was good in ancient Sparta). I can't deny how much the Classical civilizations (Greece and Rome) influenced Western society.

Ancient Greece and Rome were one of several classical periods of world history. Both provided substantial logic such as those of Socrates, Aristotle, Plato, Democritus, etc. Such vast amounts of knowledge and social organization booming during this period! It's a great time period in my opinion.

Basically there was the ancient romans, with all their art and education and laws and nice buildings and entertainment and ships and civilization, and that was cool, and then there were the sucky dark ages where people went back to living in mud huts. The ancient greeks were cool, plus they had all the cool myths and gods too. And what about the gladiators?

All the punic wars. These wars were like world wars of their times. The military history and knowledge of this time is fantastical...but the amount of advanced civilizations living in the world around the Mediterranean at this time is unbelievable. Each with a different way of life and system of government. these governments would influence the modern world we live in today. It was a time where people truly could change the world.

3 Ancient Egypt

The time of Ancient Egypt was one of the best in human history. So many innovations in science, maths, architecture etc. It was because of Egypt's timeline that Greece and Rome rose into power so show some respect. After all it will be fun to see the Pyramids which were the tallest structures in this timeline all they way to the Middle Ages.

So mysterious, and the religion at the time was so mixed and matched, and the sense of superiority was just crazy. Got to love the Egyptians.

With all the pyramids and pharaohs and mummies and stuff, you know it's gotta be good.

So cool! Especially interesting. I so wish that I could live in this time period!

4 Middle Ages

To people who refer to the Middle Ages as "The Dark Ages" you are clearly being fooled by Renaissance and Victorian era writers. Serious historians who study this period will tell you that it's nothing more than a myth that this period was as dark and grim as many would have you believe. It was a time when the world was recovering from the fall of the western Roman Empire in 476, and science and philosophy (believe it or not) actually flourished; especially in the Islamic and eastern world. Even in Europe, universities became widespread during the high Middle Ages, and there is evidence that suggests people (even peasants) had a much easier life than you would think from watching TV shows and movies.

The Middle Ages was definitely an interesting time period (I seriously would love to go to a Medieval inn) to learn about (the music also sounds cool), but not really the best because of wars like the Crusades and Hundred Years War (this was the war where guns and cannons were invented), gender inequality (women had no power in Medieval society), and where religion justifies actions.

I like this time period because it was just stabilizing a society and was improving in technology. It also had a very famous city in the Byzantine Empire call Constantinople the capital of Rome. Constantinople had a sewer system, and actually cared about its citizens. The homeless could do work, like sweeping the streets and other things for bread.

Classical society broke down. Centralized government and law disintegrated, leading to the rise of feudalism, the rise of the Roman Church, The Inquisition, and the Plague... What seems horrendous was actually the beginning of modern society. Learning did not perish.

5 Roman Empire

The aesthetic! The heroes. The villains. The wars. The architecture makes it so thrilling and interesting to study.

Amazing clothes in that time period!

I love the wars and fights!

6 Age of Discovery

Many great explorers like Hudson and Cabot. Columbus really sucked though.

Love when new things were discovered.

7 The Roaring 20s

The 1920s were generally a decade of empowerment. A war had just been ended; the troops had been dismissed. In New York, there was the Harlem Renaissance, and African Americans were having a chance to have voices in this world, to create art and have a community of art and inspiration surrounding them. Women everywhere in the US were starting to feel their power and know they could make an impact on the world. Women had just gotten their right to vote! This is also one of the few time periods when breasts weren't considered the epitome of sexiness. Flappers are great in general--the clothing, the music, the Charleston! The 1920s were exciting! Prohibition was alive and well, with asymmetrical sometimes-villains: did you know Al Capone opened up a soup kitchen? People were having fun! This is a decade of great culture.

Why would want the Middle Ages? It was called the Dark Ages for a reason. Plague, executions, and crime. Not the 20's. I mean, everyone was happy in the 20's, animation was on the rise, everyone was rich, new fancy gadgets like cars and television were coming out, and everyone was dancing to the Charleston. It was a roaring time, hence the name. Everything was perfect until 1929 and everyone was poor. Well, shoot. That was only 3 months of the Roaring Twenties though. I mean no one's gonna say the Depressing 30's the best time period. The Great Depression and the Rise of Hitler. Yeah, I'm sticking to the 20's.

The Roaring 20's would have to be my favorite time period. Modern America was born and many inspiring new ideas started. African Americans were given the chance to express themselves by singing and reciting poetry. Music was transformed and the community became full of art and inspiration. It was a peaceful time period and my favorite part would have to be the fashion. Women wore flapper dresses while men wore old style tuxes and bowties. Dancing was a fun form of entertainment and it helped open new doors for future decades. I honestly believe the 1920's was the best time period and I would love to go back in time to live there!

This is when people knew how to party & have fun! Sexuality & sensuality was accepted, yet family values were still very much there. Fashion was fun. The movie business was really getting started.This was when glamour was invented. A really fun time in history, only draw back is you'd have to live through the 30's (Great Depression) & 40's (World War 2). It was an awesome decade though.

8 Byzantine Empire

The first giant hub for Christianity, Justinian I was a cool ruler, and over 70 languages were spoken in the empire!

Betrayals, alliances and big ethical questions. Just like in our time, I guess.

9 Ancient China

The Ancient China time period is awesome! The architecture is amazing!

I love their clothes. especially women's. The music and makeup style are also interesting!

Stunning culture and a time that I so wish I could live in.

As a Chinese person I would like to see ancient china and places such as the forbidden city

10 Islamic Golden Age

As a Muslim I would really love to be present in this time period because of its impactful inventions and discoveries. Many mathematicians and inventors who changed the world were alive in this time and I would love to meet them.

An era of stunning intellectual and cultural achievements. A blending of Arab, Egyptian, Persian, and European tradition.

The era of science, mass translations and humanity throughout the world but mainly focused in Baghdad and Spain.

The Roman Greek knowledge lived up in this period as well as giving to new cool inventions and scientists like Avicenna and co. Amazing and the precursor to the Renaissance.

The Contenders
11 World War I

The future before the future. World War 1 was best known in it's time for introducing new technology and tactics in war. They would end up inventing deadly chemicals as well as trenches.

As an Australian learning about the ANZAC's of WW1 is pretty cool and I also feel a sense of pride as there aren't a lot of my favourite time periods in Australia.

Treaty of Versailles set promoted the future of conflict for the next century.

Also technically includes the Russian Revolution.

12 Golden Age of Piracy

I'm a big fan of pirates and would love to be one. In fact I have thought of some ship names to strike fear into the Spanish Armada and British Navy (and my rivals). These names are The Bloody Mary or The Devil's Vessel. I would love to explore the Bahamas, Cuba and Jamaica. Also would love to free slaves and attack slave ships and then torture the slave traders (cause why not). Also would love to share some rum with Blackbeard and try to hijack a man o' war with him.

Pirates of this time brought forth a turning point in history because they were some of the first advocates for equality and free will who succeeded.

Cutthroats, naval warfare, treacherous waters, unexplored islands, riches, and adventure... Yep. That just about does it.

Doing what you want on the high seas in search of adventure and treasure just really appeals to me.

13 The Digital Era

The Digital ERA made the way for technology to grow in Earth. We are able to talk to people from thousands of miles away, also, we have new ways to think of society and new governmental systems.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift; that's why we call it the present.

I believe this is the era with the least amount of conflict and an era that which we can have the most amount of relaxation.

Yep, new technologies such as computers, cell phones and everyone had one!

14 Wild West

When you think of the Wild West, you think of good old cowboys shooting and robbing everyone. But it was so much more it was the turning point for North America people were moving west in search for land. It was a semi-peaceful time until the civil war and then the Spanish American war and the Filipino war... rather water devolved a lot from this period since most that moved were newlanders from England or Spain they had to learn hunting and fishing. Giving us a lot of knowledge and not only this but it was a time when America was still truly beautiful (naturally, I mean).

Ahh yes the time of gunslingers, outlaws and bandits. Then again this was the time that civilisation was vastly growing and the law was increasingly becoming a thing with sheriffs, deputies and bounty hunters. I would be an outlaw gunslinger travelling across the country looking for fuels while also fleeing the law (basically Arthur Morgan from RDR2, Red Dead Redemption 2, which is one of the best games to ever come out in my opinion and prolly tons of other people)

Red Dead Redemption, The good the bad and the ugly, Once Upon a Time in the West, American Civil ear, Indian (native american) wars, guns, religion, horses. And who can forget the hat and leather boots.

I love watching a good western. The Old West seems so cool... dressing up in a cowboy outfit, riding on a horse across the hot Arizona desert and shooting things up with pistols.

15 19th Century Britain

Very interesting period to study. Clothes looked cool but were probably uncomfortable to wear. Factories opened, and there was an increase in production, but children were worked all day long to produce things. There were breakthroughs in many areas and new laws. Etiquette rules were very strict.

19th century Britain is the essence of colonialism. The colonization of Africa, Britain's world affairs which affected the entire world. It was also the industrial period, where the entire world changed forever with the invention of machines.

Industrial Revolution, great scientists and philosophers, very interesting culture and way of life... Go ENGLAND!

Although the period for some was terrible, it moved away from social Darwinism and was the real start to an integrated world.

16 Age of Enlightenment

Not only did it have so many great philosophy, also great art and paintings.

It had many early modern philosophers such as Voltaire and Nietzsche

17 Ancient Greece

Nice time cool clothes and amazing stories.

I found this in my kitchen.

18 Mexican Revolution

I voted this because it's an important time in history. And to everyone saying, "why do we need to learn about this. it isn't even important" it is really important and just because it isn't in america doesn't mean that its useless

The Mexican Revolution was one of the first revolutions to happen in Latin America, so it is definitely important to history

Such an interesting topic!

Very funny I love tacos

19 Viking Age

My favorite time period because I absolutely love Vikings. I would love to become one as well and go on raids to places like England, Ireland and most of all take part in the raids of Paris. I would love to meet the famous Vikings Ragnar Lothbrok and his equally famous and mighty sons Ubbe Ragnarsson, Bjorn Ironside, Ivar the Boneless etc. Would also love to meet King Alfred the Great (who was one of if not the toughest enemy the Vikings faced as he repelled almost all Viking attempts at taking his kingdom of Wessex)

Very complex times for England. No one could stop and they have traveled almost the whole world trading and settling.

When the Norse would raid the wintry shores of England, looting and pillaging with their warbands!

20 Sengoku Period

Wait, the Japanese Civil war that lasted 100 years is a good time?

Bro, you and I have some different opinions on that.

Have fun with those angry guys with swords and matchlocks.

Mind telling me what this is about?

21 Vietnam War

I'm having flash backs

My grandpa went there.

? There's nothing here

Very very good

22 Baroque and Rococo Era

I absolutely love fashion! But agriculture is really important for the whole world itself.

The best era, with best fashion, best art, best architecture.

23 The 1970s

The 1970's is the best era ever! Music, movies, fashion, food- it was all so very fantastic!

The birth of my parents and the true start of video games both happened in the 70s.

The time of when crazy people existed Like mE!

Music and Movies! Not to mention the food!

24 World War II

American Life in the 1940s was a time of unity and a time of victory. Despite the war, this is one of the few times in American History were the whole country in united no matter your race. The cars are the best I have seen so far, along with the Music like the Andrew Sisters and Glenn Miller. City life was not as bad, along with country life. The Depression is over and America has recovered partially, Women now are more recognized an accepted in society and it is an excellent example of "team effort".

Very VERY interesting. There are were new kinds of weapons, but loving during this time was horrible, especially being Jewish among others in Europe, particularly Germany. Actually, Stalin's reign and oppression of Soviet Russia killed more people than the Holocaust. People talk about the Holocaust more because the events were videotaped as instructed by president Eisenhower, while nothing like that was used in Soviet Russia.

Some of the most interesting topics to me were the people who were hiding in Germany from the Gestapo because they were Jews (ex.: Anne Frank), or of the people who were trying to assassinate Hitler (ex.: Dietrich Bonhoeffer).

Life would have been far less boring - sure life may have been shorter and less cushy, but there was the chance to actually experience life.

25 Hellenistic Period

Alexander the Great's empire. Great combination of cultures, particularly in Alexandria, Egypt, which housed the first lighthouse (tallest structure in the world at the time), museum, library, and zoo (I think).

The very first lighthouse was made during this time period!

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