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Description
Originally applied to the period around the year 1000, the term "Dark Ages" was then used on a much larger basis.
The historians of the Modern Era liked to use it to describe the centuries of decay that followed the glorious times of the Roman Empire...
Especially the period that came directly after the fall of the Eternal City...
Middle Ages, Dark Ages... Simple terms for a complex reality...

In 491 AD, Rome is no longer... Though the influence of its culture is strong in the kingdoms that settled in Western Europe.
And the Roman project is not dead yet... Indeed the New Rome still stands...
Constantinople, protected by its high walls, is the residence of Zeno, the Caesar who was in charge in the East
when the famous Italian city fell into Barbaric hands...
But Zeno was not only a warrior, he was also a shrewd diplomat and managed to save his share of the Roman territory...
When the Ostrogoths were closing in, he sent them westwards... And Theodoric finally set his sights on Italy...

At the same time, times were also tough for Persia... If the Huns have been defeated in the middle of the century in Gaul,
their cousins the Hephtalites were still a force to be reckoned with in Asia... In 484 AD, the Shahanshah Peroz I was killed in battle
and all the Eastern provinces of Iran were lost to the White Huns (Hephtalites)... His son Kavadh I was designated new emperor...
During his long reign (488-496 / 498-531), he tried to strengthen the imperial power by creating a beginning of court around him...
But his power was limited by the influence of his Hunnic neighbours who helped him ascend the throne.
The first signs of a revival were there though... The fights between Rome and Persia ignited anew...

So, if the end of the 5th century was indeed a violent and troubled period for Rome and Persia, it was not an era of pure chaos...
And the middle of the 6th century marked the zenith of both empires...
Before a new player arrives...

Description
Originally applied to the period around the year 1000, the term "Dark Ages" was then used on a much larger basis.
The historians of the Modern Era liked to use it to describe the centuries of decay that followed the glorious times of the Roman Empire...
Especially the period that came directly after the fall of the Eternal City...
Middle Ages, Dark Ages... Simple terms for a complex reality...

In 491 AD, Rome is no longer... Though the influence of its culture is strong in the kingdoms that settled in Western Europe.
And the Roman project is not dead yet... Indeed the New Rome still stands...
Constantinople, protected by its high walls, is the residence of Zeno, the Caesar who was in charge in the East
when the famous Italian city fell into Barbaric hands...
But Zeno was not only a warrior, he was also a shrewd diplomat and managed to save his share of the Roman territory...
When the Ostrogoths were closing in, he sent them westwards... And Theodoric finally set his sights on Italy...

At the same time, times were also tough for Persia... If the Huns have been defeated in the middle of the century in Gaul,
their cousins the Hephtalites were still a force to be reckoned with in Asia... In 484 AD, the Shahanshah Peroz I was killed in battle
and all the Eastern provinces of Iran were lost to the White Huns (Hephtalites)... His son Kavadh I was designated new emperor...
During his long reign (488-496 / 498-531), he tried to strengthen the imperial power by creating a beginning of court around him...
But his power was limited by the influence of his Hunnic neighbours who helped him ascend the throne.
The first signs of a revival were there though... The fights between Rome and Persia ignited anew...

So, if the end of the 5th century was indeed a violent and troubled period for Rome and Persia, it was not an era of pure chaos...
And the middle of the 6th century marked the zenith of both empires...
Before a new player arrives...