Early histories of a war typically describe the war as it was declared by the states involved. It is not uncommon for later historians to group together a series of wars over a long period or spread over several theaters as part of a broader conflict or strategic campaign. The most familiar of these in the present day is probably the Cold War and the War on Terror, which included the Korean War (1950–1953) (Cold War), the Vietnam War (1965–1973) (Cold War), the Persian Gulf War (1990–1991) (Cold War), the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) (War on Terror), and the Iraq War (2003–2011) (War on Terror) to name these five wars during the Cold War and the War on Terror. These groupings provide useful context for the wars involved. Note that some groupings overlap time periods and its possible for more than one war to be going on at the same time.
Afro-Eurasia
499 BC – 448 BC Greco-Persian Wars
322 BC - 275 BC Wars of the Diadochi
274 BC - 168 BC Syrian Wars
264 BC – 146 BC Punic Wars
66 BC – 628 AD Roman–Persian Wars
66 BC - 217 AD Roman–Parthian Wars
230–392 Roman–Sasanian wars
392–628 Byzantine–Sasanian wars
66–136 Jewish–Roman wars
485–556 Samaritan revolts
622–755 Early Muslim conquests
629–11th century Arab–Byzantine wars
650s–737 Arab–Khazar wars
680–1355 Byzantine–Bulgarian wars
718–1492 Iberian Reconquista
830s–1043 Rus'–Byzantine wars
1048–1308 Byzantine–Seljuq wars
1090–1194 Nizari–Seljuk conflicts
1095–1291 Crusades
1299–1453 Byzantine–Ottoman wars
1676–1918 Russo-Turkish wars
1689–1815 Second Hundred Years' War
1722–1828 Russo-Persian Wars
1919–1923 Turkish War of Independence
Africa
1955–present Sudanese civil wars
1996–present Congo wars
Asia
133 BC–89 AD Han–Xiongnu War
109 BC–108 BC Gojoseon–Han War
220–280 Wars of the Three Kingdoms (China) 588–630 Göktürk–Persian wars 598–614 Goguryeo–Sui Wars 629-630 Tang conquest of the Eastern Turks 645–668 Goguryeo–Tang Wars 657 Tang conquest of the Western Turks 1206–1279 Mongol invasion of China 1231–1259 Mongol invasions of Korea 1274–1281 Mongol invasions of Japan 1592–1598 Japanese invasions of Korea 1627–1636 Manchu invasions of Korea 1747–1793 Ten Great Campaigns 1839–1860 Opium Wars: First Opium War (18391842) and Second Opium War (18561860) 1894–1945 Sino-Japanese wars 1902-1932 Unification Wars of Arabia 1920–present Kurdish rebellions in Turkey 1930–1939 Soviet–Japanese border conflicts 1941–1945 Pacific War also includes a small piece of Oceania Region but mainly an Asian war. 1947–present Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts and Kashmir conflict 1948–present Arab–Israeli conflict 1950–1953 Korean War 1955–1975 Vietnam War 1961-1997 Iraqi–Kurdish conflict 1962 Sino-Indian War 1978–present Afghan Civil War
Americas and Europe
1607–1890 Kingdom of England, and United States, versus Native Americans
1689–1763 French and Indian Wars
1754–1814 Sixty Years' War
1860-1877 American Civil War and Reconstruction Era (re-admitting States to the Union) 1775-1783 American Revolutionary War 1803-1815 Napoleonic Wars
Europe
58 BC – 50 BC Gallic Wars
1142–1445 Swedish–Novgorodian Wars
1296–1363 Wars of Scottish Independence
1135–1453 Wars between the kingdom of England and the French
1337–1453 Hundred Years' War
1438–1552 Russo-Kazan Wars
1455–1485 Wars of the Roses
1494–1559 Italian Wars
1496–1809 Russo-Swedish wars
1507–1572 Russo-Crimean Wars
1562–1598 French Wars of Religion
1637–1652 Wars of the Three Kingdoms (Europe) 1648–1667 The Deluge 1754–1763 Seven Years' War 1792–1802 French Revolutionary Wars 1848–1866 Italian Independence wars 1912–1913 Balkan Wars 1941–1944 Continuation War (Finland-USSR) 1941–1945 Great Patriotic War 1991–2001 Yugoslav Wars