Dark Ages (historiography)

The Dark Ages describes a period in European history coinciding with the Early Middle Ages from the fifth to the tenth century although some believe that the period stretches from the fifth to the fifteenth century. Whereas the term “Middle Ages” is deliberately neutral in tone, the term “Dark Ages” has negative connotations that are intended to evoke the idea that this period reflected a marked decline in intellectual, spiritual, and cultural progress after the collapse of the Roman Empire in the fifth century.

The Romans, alongside the Greeks and other advanced Mediterranean cultures, are typically viewed as part of the classical era of civilization, a time when great advances were made in art and science. By contrast, the fall of the Roman Empire led to a period without such progress.

While descriptions of the Early Middle Ages as the Dark Ages are not entirely accurate—for instance, the Islamic world became a center of advanced learning during this period—the term has largely stuck and is commonly used in place of the Middle Ages as a graphic point of reference to describe this era of European history. In general, the term has mostly fallen out of favor with historians due to the inherent prejudices it invokes.

Background

The idea of the Dark Ages was largely an invention of Renaissance scholars and poets who looked back at this era as a time of cultural regression. The concept of the Dark Ages, therefore, predates the Early Middle Ages and must include a comparison of the era that immediately preceded it.

The word “dark” in reference to the Dark Ages refers to the stagnation of most cultures during this time. When the Roman Empire fell, no equivalent advanced culture like the Egyptians, Minoans, Etruscans, or Greeks was ready to fill the cultural vacuum left by the Romans. Instead, when the Visigoths finally sacked Rome in 410, they had limited ability to manage the remains of the Roman Empire. Neither did the Vandals, Alans, or Suebi—other “barbarian” groups that contributed to the end of Roman culture.

Because of this, Europe fell into a state of decline. Inventions like Roman concrete—which had a different composition from modern cement—and many classical works of art and literature were lost to time forever. Another hallmark of this period was the increased authority of the Roman Catholic Church. While such authority meant that many royal houses of Europe received compensation, the Church negatively viewed scientists who challenged its worldview or artists who questioned the pope’s infallibility.

The Dark Ages were also “dark” because few written records were created during this time. This is partly because the Romans left a tremendous power vacuum and many cultures rushed to seize control of their land. It was a time of chaos in Europe during which many works of literature were destroyed. While some editions survived in the hands of clergy and other scholastic groups in remote outposts like Ireland, little literature was created during the centuries following the Roman collapse. Even classical works were not reproduced.

Overview

The term “Dark Ages” is believed to have been coined in the 1330s by Italian scholar Petrarch. Petrarch was dismayed by what he perceived to be a general lack of achievements among his contemporaries, particularly in comparison to the classical societies of antiquity. As an Italian, this was particularly galling to him because he considered himself to have inherited the fallen glories of the Romans. Petrarch was well-versed in Latin and Greek and wanted to restore past glories by having texts from the classical era republished.

When contrasting the works of classical writers with those of his own time, Petrarch lamented the era he was forced to live in, which led him to use the word “dark.” Back then, as in the modern era, the contrast between dark and light was symbolic—so much so that it caught the attention of later historians who resurrected the idea to define Petrarch’s era as one of darkness, or a “dark age.” Eventually, as historians from the eighteenth century and beyond began to study the Late Middle Ages with more care, they came to reassess this period as being more enlightened than the Renaissance scholars had thought.

In 2016, British historians and the English Heritage, the national body tasked with managing Great Britain’s historical monuments, debated the appropriateness of the term “Dark Ages.” Despite British historians’ preference for using the term “Early Middle Ages” instead of “Dark Ages,” the English Heritage stubbornly refused to alter historical plaques with the newer terminology or change its website. British historians did not like the connotation created by the term Dark Ages. They also thought that it referenced too broad a timeframe and too wide a geographical area to infer that few tangible accomplishments were made during this time.

Bibliography

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Cantor, Norman F. Imagining the Middle Ages. Harper Perennial, 2016.

Gautier, Alban. “In Defence of the ‘Dark Ages’.” History Matters, University of Sheffield, 31 May 2016, www.historymatters.group.shef.ac.uk/dark-ages-defence/. Accessed 29 Apr. 2019.

Hughes, Tristan. “Why Was 900 Years of European History Labelled ‘the Dark Ages’?” History Hit, 1 Nov. 2018, www.historyhit.com/why-were-the-early-middle-ages-called-the-dark-ages/. Accessed 29 Apr. 2019.

O'Brien, Jay, and William Roseberry. Golden Ages, Dark Ages: Imagining the Past in Anthropology and History. University of California Press, 1991.

Pruitt, Sarah. “6 Reasons the Dark Ages Weren’t So Dark.” History.com, 29 Aug. 2018, www.history.com/news/6-reasons-the-dark-ages-werent-so-dark/. Accessed 29 Apr. 2019.

“The Dark Ages.” All About History, 29 Aug. 2018,www.allabouthistory.org/the-dark-ages.htm. Accessed 29 Apr. 2019.

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Wickham, Chris. The Inheritance of Rome: A History of Europe from 400 to 1000. Penguin, 2009.