Dark Ages (historiography)

The Dark Ages is a term used to describe the time period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the start of the Middle Ages, which is usually given as the year 476. During this period, Europe suffered from political unrest, social disruption, religious change and economic instability. This caused historical records to be limited, meaning it was difficult for people to remember and learn from the past. Historiography is the study of history and the way it is recorded and interpreted. During the Dark Ages, there was very little historiography because it was hard to keep records of the time. This means that historians today have difficulty understanding the period, which is why we call it the Dark Ages.