he period known as the Dark
Ages may not have involved the complete abandonment of civilized
knowledge Europe-wide as previously described by many historians. While
many Christian Europeans did experience significant ignorance of classical
science, history, culture and magical lore for 1100 years (approximately
400 A.D. to 1500 A.D.), it is plausable that other European Christians
retained this knowledge. In support of this skeptical view of the Dark Ages
are the facts that:
New Rome (Byzantium; the Eastern Roman Empire) did not "fall" when
Rome Proper (the Western Roman Empire) succumbed to it's own military or
'Barbarians'.
Byzantium maintained contact (some peaceful) with it's Islamic neighbors.
While much of Medieval Europe languished, Islamic nations maintained,
explored, and advanced classical knowledge.
