Join THE HISTORY CHANNEL on an unforgettable voyage through one of the most
desolate periods in human history as the rulers, conflicts, and cataclysmic
societal breakdown of THE DARK AGES are brought to light.
At its height in the second century A.D., the Roman Empire was the beacon of
learning, trade, power and prosperity in the western world. But the
once-powerful Rome-rotten to the core by the fifth century-lay open to barbarian
warriors who came in wave after wave of invasion, slaughtering, stealing, and
ultimately, settling. As chaos replaced culture, Europe was beset by famine,
plague, persecutions, and a state of war that was so persistent it was only
rarely interrupted by peace.
THE DARK AGES profiles those who battled to shape the future, from the warlords whose armies threatened to case the demise of European society, like Alaric, Charles the Hammer, and Clovis; to the men and women who valiantly tended the flames of justice, knowledge, and innovation including Charlemagne, St. Benedict, Empress Theodora, and other brave souls who fought for peace and enlightenment. It was in the shadows of this turbulent millennium that the seeds of modern civilization were sown.