Into darkness - Miller, Stephen G. (Stephen Gaylord), 1942-2021 (Fotolio, 2020)
p. [9]. Into darkness - Prologue. This book is an attempt to bring toghther what I believe to be the several convergent causes of the Dark Ages of the seventh and eight centuries after Christ. As a whole, they caused the culture and civilization of the ancient world to collapse. Climate change, erosion, drought, famine, plague, and - yes - even barbarians all played a role, but the presence of each of those elements in emphatic form all within a generation will be seen as the neccesary ingredients for a worl-wide disaster. [...]
Page [11]: Chronology of events discussed in this book (all dates A.D.): 536 (March), sun disappears for 16-18 months. 538-540 drought. 539 famine. 541 bubonic plague in Egypt. 542 bubonic plague reaches Contstantinople. 543 bubonic plague reaches Rome. 545 bubonic plague reaches Ireland. 546 first recorded raid by Slavs south of the Danube. 548 second recorded raid by Slavs south of the Danube. 551 Slavs invade south of Danube with intention of capturing Thessaloniki. 551 Slavs invade Illyricum. 559 Inperial army at 25% of usual force. 562 second otubreak of bubonic plague in Constantinopole. 562 Avars reach Danube, appear at court of Justian. 565 Avars at court of Justin II. 568 Avars besiege Sirmium. 570 Avars defeat Tiberius. 578 Slavs raid Greece, Tiberius "allied" with Avars. 582 Avars take and derstroy Sirmium. 582? Avars-Slavs destroy Athens. 584 Avars-Slavs into Peloponnesus at Corinth. 585 Avars-Slavs at Argos. ca. 586 Monemvasia fortified against Slavs by Laconians.
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