Erin ’s Reviews > Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages > Status Update

A form of the bubonic plague caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestsis, spread by fleas that hopped on small mammals, black rats and human beings. Probably killed millions between 541 and 543.

Barbarian: was a term used to encompass a huge range of people from itinerant nomadic tribes.

Late in Heraclius' reign all Jews in Byzantium were forcibly converted to Christianity.

Between A.D. 350 and 370 eastern Asia suffered a "megadrought" which remains the worst drought recorded in the last two thousand years.

The official language across the Roman Empire was Latin. Latin competed with Greek for the position of the most useful language in 4th century A.D.

The antique world can be said to have crumbled and the Middle Ages begun on the banks of the river Volga in the year A.D. 370.

The Huns were illiterate with no record keeping or chronicle culture.

Rome was the only power in history to rule every shore of the Mediterranean basin and it added to this an exceptional deep fringe of territory reaching many miles inland.

For nearly 4 centuries there was no massive volcanic eruptions of the sort that from time to time depress temperatures across globe; during the same time solar activity was high and stable.

"The Roman Empire set its foot on the proud necks of savage people's and given them laws to serve as the eternal foundation and guarantee of liberty."