No, this is not going to be “how to make the perfect croissant, although France does figure into the story. In the video below, Useful Charts creator Matt Baker suggests that we not refer to the period spanning the fifth and the late fifteenth centuries as the “dark ages.” In justification, he doesn’t put forth the argument, now fairly common, that the time in question was actually full of subtle innovation occluded by modern prejudice.
The real problem, as he sees it, is that the slowing, if not reversing, of the progress of human society that we’ve traditionally regarded as occurring in what are commonly known as the Middle Ages only occurred in Europe. What’s more, there have been multiple such eras in the world: take the earlier “Greek dark ages” associated with the Bronze Age civilizational collapse of 1177 BC. You watch some of the behaviors of today’s “personalities” and Governmental nonsense, you would be quite correct to feel exhausted. Watch below.
Palmyra is an ancient oasis city in the Syrian Desert, about 230 km northeast of Damascus, famous for its extensive Greco-Roman ruins and history as a major Silk Road trading hub, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an endangered site. It’s also known by its Arabic name, Tadmur, and while the ancient site holds ruins, there’s a modern city nearby.
We won’t wax on and on about this subject. It speaks for itself. Be a good person. It’s easy when you try.
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