Lecture 11: Europe’s Dark Ages and Charlemagne

Europe’s Dark Ages and Charlemagne ............................................

Lecture 11

T

he term “Dark Ages” has fallen out of favor with most historians, or at

least its use has been restricted to a much more narrow chronological

period, spanning roughly from about the 450s to the 800s and the time

of Charlemagne. However, in this lecture, the Dark Ages apply to the entire

early Middle Ages—from the fall of Rome to about 1000 A.D.—because

Europe is pretty bleak economically, agriculturally, and scientifi cally during

this time. In this lecture, you will learn that in most endeavors, including

cuisine and food culture, this period is pretty dark.

Germanic Tribes

 The Roman Empire was showing signs of internal weakness

long before 410 A.D., but that’s when barbarian armies—the

Visigoths, under their leader, Alaric—actually sack the city. Roman

weakness was due to many complex factors, but it mostly had

to do with overextending the empire and using barbarian tribes

along the frontier to protect Roman territory. That meant that they

learned Roman fi ghting tactics and military technology and could

eventually use it against the Romans themselves.

 These barbaric tribes also became Romanized. When these

semibarbarians on the edges themselves were threatened from

outside invaders, such as the Huns, it made perfect sense for them

to turn to Rome for help, which was denied. Being basically forced

onto Roman soil, they liked what they found there and decided to

take it, which created a moment of extreme weakness, during which

all sorts of other tribes came pouring in.

 The entire Roman Empire was subsumed by Germanic tribes, who

are basically in a state of culture comparable to other warrior-

pastoralists—such as the Aryans, Shang, and Mycenaeans—but

were 2,000 years later. However, these Germanic tribes were