Regions of Europe - Historical Divisions

Historical Divisions

Europe can be divided along many differing historical lines, normally corresponding to those parts that were inside or outside a particular cultural phenomenon, empire or political division. The areas varied at different times, and so it is arguable as to which areas fell into certain areas (e.g. are Germany or Britain to be considered Roman Europe as they were only part of the Empire for a brief period, or are the countries of the former communist Yugoslavia to be considered part of Eastern Europe since it was not in the Warsaw Pact).

• Roman and Non-Roman Europe: those parts that were inside the Roman Empire.
• Greek Europe and Latin Europe: those parts that fell into the eastern (Byzantine) and western Roman Empires.
• Christendom and Pagan Europe: those lands that did and did not observe Christianity in the Middle Ages.
• Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian Europe: those parts on either side of the Great Schism.
• Protestant and Catholic Europe: those parts that, in the main, left the Catholic Church during the Reformation contrasted with those that did not.
• Civil Code and Common Law Europe: Those parts that adopted a Napoleonic Code style system and those that retained a Common Law system.
• Communist (eastern) Europe and Capitalist (western) Europe: those parts on either side of the Iron Curtain.
• New Europe and Old Europe: Those parts that did and did not support the 2nd Iraq War.
• European Union and non-EU countries: EU countries and European countries outside or not in close partnership with the organisation