I'm going to add some possible controversy.  ;DThe Muslims, especially under the Abbasid Dynasty, are perhaps what made the Dark Ages not so dark too.  It was they who had the most libraries and the largest (outside of Constantinople) cities...Baghdad, Cordoba, Cairo.  They made advances in mathematics, geography (which became very valuable to Western sailors and merchants) and the natural sciences, preserved (and translated to Arabic and Latin) ancient texts, they made books using paper (that they got through trade with China), and made discoveries in astronomy and medicine (Ibn Sina, known as Avicenna to the West, discovered contagious diseases and how they can be spread by contminated water...pretty important thing to know back then IMO).They developed the astrolabe, which later made it possible for Europeans to sail to the Americas.If I'm incorrect about this, then educate me. But from what I see, they contributed and assimilated to society at that time.

I just read about the herbal medicines used during these times. Even anesthesia was used for major surgeries (like amputations  :o).  There's some recipes for baldness and indigestion if anyone's interested.  Let me know if it works for you, cause I ain't trying it!  ;DFunny thing, my book doesn't even refer to these times as the Dark Ages.  I wonder why they were ever called that.  It seemed pretty lively and as Phid said, a lot of preservation in writing and emphasis on education.  Was this the time of the first books?

This is getting more and more interesting.  This is why Rome is such a great place - so much of Western Civilization links back to this very city.

Yeah, including all the scandals and aristocracy.

Has anyone ever heard of Proquest?  I wonder if Questia is similar.