The centuries following the fall of the Roman empire in the west have traditionally been seen as the "Dark Ages", when classical achievement was lost. As this book reveals, the truth was very different. In Europe, feudal society and religious development supported economic and artistic achievement. In Asia and South America, empires rose and fell. In the Middle East, meanwhile, the birth of Islam inspired a dynamic cultural expansion that changed the shape of the region and led to conflict with European Christendom. Contains global overview maps covering the whole period; regional maps and accompanying essays that highlight contemporary developments; and, curriculum links and glossary terms explained on the page.