History is typically serperated and identified by wars (military technology, tactics, etc). Is there another way to reliably distinguish between different time periods?

by WaywardIntelligence

I know that wars always have a profound effect on society and technology but are there any cultures or ideologies that characterize time periods?

Kawagatam

The Eurocentric dating system of ancient, classical, early medieval, high medieval, late medieval, early modern and modern is based more around culture and ideas more than any given war, though the Norman invasion of 1066 is often given as the transition from early to high medieval. On the other hand, the transition from late medieval to early modern is a gradual transition into the renascence without any wars creating a hard date. In short; it's complicated.