# Did the Middle Ages not Really Happen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [April 22, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-middle-ages-not-really-happen/579373 "2011-04-22T16:42:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-middle-ages-not-really-happen/579373/21 "2011-04-26T21:59:40Z")
Given that I own a set of lectures that includes 20 lectures covering the period between 500 and roughly 1000 AD, and two sets of 24 lectures each for 1000 AD through 1500 AD, I’m kind of surprised to hear that nothing happened. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-middle-ages-not-really-happen/579373/22 "2011-04-27T18:01:50Z")
Those years happened, they just got the dates wrong. (That’s the premise.) ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-middle-ages-not-really-happen/579373/23 "2011-04-27T19:02:57Z")
> [@SlowMindThinking](#): > > Given that I own a set of lectures that includes 20 lectures covering the period between 500 and roughly 1000 AD, and two sets of 24 lectures each for 1000 AD through 1500 AD, I’m kind of surprised to hear that nothing happened. Just proves that you’re part of the greaaaaat conspiracy. ---
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-middle-ages-not-really-happen/579373/24 "2011-04-27T21:10:34Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > Just proves that you’re part of the greaaaaat conspiracy. No, I’m a victim! Who do I sue for deluding me? ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-middle-ages-not-really-happen/579373/25 "2011-04-27T21:35:11Z")
Is there any speculation on why Illig and Niemitz came up with their Phantom Time hypothesis? Do they have any rational for why the fake years were added? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-middle-ages-not-really-happen/579373/26 "2011-04-28T00:48:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Only for cultures which recorded them. If we had astronomical records from Europe in classical times, we wouldn’t need to compare to Asia in the first place. Yeah, if only there were some record from that period, like [a piece of art, that recorded a historical event and just happened to match it with a clear cut astronomical phenomenon like the appearance of Halley’s Comet.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayeux_Tapestry) ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-middle-ages-not-really-happen/579373/27 "2011-04-28T01:47:08Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > Is there any speculation on why Illig and Niemitz came up with their Phantom Time hypothesis? For some people, the thought, “I just had a brilliant idea,” is like crack cocaine—just one hit and you’re addicted. I mean that in all seriousness. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-middle-ages-not-really-happen/579373/28 "2011-05-06T01:27:34Z")
Even if many years from the middle ages have been lost, it doesn’t matter. The Tea Party will soon bring them back. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-the-middle-ages-not-really-happen/579373.md?page=1)