The Dark Ages Were Dark

The Dark Ages, which roughly spanned from the 5th century and the time of the fall of the Roman Empire to the 10th century, are often seen as a time of widespread unrest, extreme poverty, and overall misery. It adheres to the more general notion that the fall of Rome marked the end of the enlightened and wise period known as classical antiquity.

So, just how "black" were the Dark Ages? This notion has been contested by several historians in recent years, who attribute it to historians of the Renaissance who were strongly pro-Rome. In truth, even if they weren't on the same level as the Roman empire, the time period was distinguished by numerous scientific, literary, and artistic accomplishments across Europe.

More importantly, this myth has a Eurocentric perspective on history and assumes that everyone else also had a difficult time. One of the Middle East's most affluent periods in history was during what the West today refers to as the Dark Ages. Massive advancements were made in the disciplines of science, mathematics, banking, medicine, and other fields during the Golden Age of Islam, which spanned around the 8th to the 14th centuries.