Time of the Dark Ages
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Devry University
Time of the Dark Ages
The Dark Ages as a term has endured many evolutions. This time was referred to the Dark Ages because among all citizens, Europe went from having absolute leaders into adopting the Roman law system. The expression of the “Dark Ages” came into play during the 17th century when many enlightenment writers convinced that they were much greater to their ancestors and began using this term to scorn an era that they found to be very difficult to survive in. The Dark Ages can be referred to the entire time of the Middle Ages from 500-1500 A.D. or mostly for the early Middle Ages from 500-1000 A.D (Curtis, 1992) (O'Sullivan, 2012). It is also commonly referred to the period of time that accompanied the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
When the Western Roman Empire was destroyed, unknowingly many people were going to begin to engage in a practice and experience devastating changes in their lives. Fewer career opportunities, literacy, and education were just the beginning of the fall. Cities then became smaller in size because the Roman Empire wasn’t able to provide the Roman tax revenues to maintain the services.
Society inadvertently prepared to emerge in modernity through the preservation of classical literature and scripture. Over time education and literacy was mostly offered to the ministry. Christianity itself remained to spread East throughout the lands. During this time, most of the old crafts and arts were destroyed or lost. During the time known as the dark ages the population was declining. After the Roman Empire buckled, many people became infected with the plague that had broken out and these people experienced climate changes that eventually reduced the growth of cultivation. Tons of lives were lost during this time. The population of people turned poor and resulted in the fact that caused them to work to have food and housing, instead of providing themselves with a higher education and philosophy. During this time the Romans lost in many battles and were defeated by stronger populations. These factors remain the major reasons why the time was termed as the “Dark Ages”. This era of life must have been a terrible time to live. The dark ages not only were a dangerous and difficult time in history, it set the mark for what has brought lots of history to the world. The events that led to the advancement were the collapse of the Western Roman Empire that led to the beginning of the Dark Ages. This took place when the Western emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was overthrown by Odoacer, a Barbarian. Romulus Augustulus was the last emperor of Rome. He reigned for only 10 months before a defiance of the troops arose. The reason for the difficulties was that in other parts of the western empire landowners had been required to hand over possession of up to two thirds of their estates to allied Germans within the empire. This policy had never been applied to Italy. The Germans troops demanded “their third of the land”. Odoacer, a Barbarian, who is traditionally known as marking the end of the Western Roman Empire, thereafter captured the city of Ravenna and forced Romulus to resign on the policy. Quickly after the Roman Empire collapse people began to spread across the lands. These people were uneducated and replaced many civilized Romans (West, 1932). Ireland did have an impact in the world that would emerge from the Dark Ages. During this time after the Roman Empire had fallen, church scholars and missionaries continued to play a vital role in preserving knowledge of classical learning. The Christian religion survived in an increasingly strong form of the Byzantine Empire that centered at the Constantinople in Eastern Europe. The Monks pursued protection at the far borders of the known world that would eventually become Ireland, Cornwall, and Hebrides. This is where the literate Monks, who survived and became
