| | |  | Documentry | Home » » The Dark Ages (The History Channel) | | | | | | | Description: | | 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.Special Feature-length Documentary The Plague ; Featurette History in the Making: The Dark Ages Runtime: 94 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 733961772104 Manufacturer No: AAE-77210 | | | Features: | |
• Condition: New
• Format: DVD
• Black & White; Color; DVD; NTSC
| | | Product Details: | | | Actors:
| RJ Allison | | Director:
| Christopher Cassel | | Format:
| Black & White, Color, DVD, NTSC | | Language:
| English | | Number of Discs:
| 1 | | Studio:
| A&E Home Video | | Run Time:
| 94 minutes | | DVD Release Date:
| May 29, 2007 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 47 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 47 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
146 of 147 found the following review helpful:
 A Fantastic Introduction to the Dark Ages!Jul 12, 2007
By Matthew S. Schweitzer
"zohoe"
The History Channel really delivers in this awesome documentary on the history of The Dark Ages, the period between the Fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of the Middle Ages. It is generally remembered as a bleak period when civilization in the West teetered on the verge of total collapse and barbarian warlords fought with each other when they weren't busy fighting Viking hordes, Muslim invaders, or Byzantine armies.
The Dark Ages uses recent scholarship and high production values to recreate the period just after the fall of Rome in the late 5th century A.D. The Roman Empire in the West had collapsed and a ragtag band of barbarians made up of Goths, Vandals, Franks, and Lombards wage bloody warfare against each other to divide up the pieces of the once-great Empire. In the East, the remnants of the Empire live on under the Emperor Justinian who becomes obsessed with recapturing Rome and reconquering the West. Meanwhile, the Franks, easily the most powerful of the post-Roman tribes, have begun to establish a great kingdom under the Merovingian dynasty, led by King Clovis, whose conversion to Christianity helps secure its place in the history of Europe. The documentary then touches on the Viking raids along the English and Irish coasts, the desperate struggle to crush the invading Muslim armies that threaten to capture all of Spain and France, and ultimately, the consolidation of Western Europe as part of the Holy Roman Empire under Charlemagne.
This is probably one of the best History Channel DVDs out there and shows that a good amount of time and effort went into create this production. While of course it cannot tell every detail of the nearly 500 year period of the Dark Ages, it does a good job of providing an excellent introduction to the subject. It is one which recommends itself to anyone who claims to be a student of history.
37 of 39 found the following review helpful:
Not so dark agesSep 07, 2007
By Stratiotes Doxha Theon
"2 Thes 2:15"
A fascinating and entertaining account of the not-so-dark ages. Solid scholarship wrapped in colorful graphics and reenactments. Very well done. The only criticism might be that it is far too short and leaves one wanting more details.
19 of 19 found the following review helpful:
History of Dark Ages; Early Christian -vs- pagan in europeSep 29, 2007
By Kathleen Lee Anderson
"Kitty Anderson"
If have an avid curiosity about history, this is for you! Especially if you are interested in the history of Europe during the dark ages. While it is very informative, it is spoken in a language that retains your interest. In other words, it is not dry and boring, BUT like a walk through a period of time you have never seen. The challenge in Europe of the plague, pagan -vs- Christianity, ending at the reign of Charlemage. I loved it!
14 of 15 found the following review helpful:
An illuminating look at the Dark AgesDec 16, 2007
By James D. Crabtree
"Doc Crabtree"
An excellent program on the Dark Ages, beginning with the old Roman Empire and its collapse and ending with the Crusades and the Renaissance. The rise of the barbarian kingdoms (which would later become nation-states), Byzantine intrigue, the Plague, the role of the Church, the expansion of Islam and the Viking raids are all presented to the viewer. The use of some computer graphics and actor portrayals makes the subject come alive. Of course, this can hardly be considered an in-depth look but as an introduction or just a dalliance into a field you have no intention of becoming an expert in it serves well. The seperate program on The Plague is also quite interesting and well done.
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
Good for some studentsMay 14, 2010
By Tejana
Mixed bag, but when the chapters are good, they're really good. The most lacking chapter is the one on Alaric where they've glossed over his background (why the Visigoths wanted to take over Rome in the first place) and rush through the sacking of Rome in just under 8 minutes. Other chapters are AMAZING: Rise of Christianity (Clovis) and the Fravks v. Moors in Ch8 especially . Here's a full lineup if it helps anyone:
-Introduction (1:08)
-The Sacking of Rome (7:22)
-The Waning Empire (4:58)
-Common Thread of Christianity (10:12)
-An Empire Strikes Back (8:33)
-The Plague (9:06)
-Men of Cloth, Men of Letters (10:40)
-A Holy War (7:59)
-The Greatest King (9:37)
-The Vikings (10:04)
-The Crusades (10:01)
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