How do historians divide the periods in history?

My answer on Quora.

It depends on the civilization that they are looking at. In the West it seems to be focused on dominant political/economic structures. In China it is traditionally framed around dynasties. Ancient Egypt is sub-divided into kingdoms bracketed by Intermediate Periods. Invasion by foreign forces punctuate such divisions.

It also depends on the type of analysis being carried out. An economic historian will tend to prefer a different arrangement than a scientific or a political historian.

The division in the West (based on political structure) that seems most favoured (politically) based on my readings are

1. The Early Ancient World - Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Hittites, Assyria, Babylon (old and neo) and Persia. The Israelites, Phoenicians and other ancient people in the Levant are incorporated into this narrative.
2. Greek Civilization - broken down into the Minoan, Mycenean, Doric, Classic, Alexandrian and Hellenic Periods
3. Ancient Rome - Kingdom, the Republic, The Triumvirates, Early Empire, Good Emperors, Severan Emperors, Militarily Emperors, Division - East and West, Barbarian Invasion, Fall of the West, the Byzantine Experience.
4. Middle Ages - Early (Dark Ages), Middle, High (clerical domination)
5. Renaissance - Early, Middle, Late (includes Reformation + Age of Exploration+ Humanism,)
6. Religious Wars and Westphalian sovereignty (rise of the nation state)
7. Enlightenment - Scientific Revolution + Birth of Liberalism (Start of Modern History)
8. Industrial Revolution + Colonization + nationalism
9. Age of Ideology
10. The Great Wars
11. Cold War + Winds of Change
12. Information Age (Post Cold War) + post Christian structure

However a great deal of this is subject to opinion.