And it's sometimes called the Dark Ages because it was so purportedly unenlightened. But was the age really so dark? It depends on what you find depressing. If you like cities and great poetry, then the Dark Ages were indeed pretty dark in Europe. But if, like me, your two favorite things are not dying from wars and not dying from anything else, then the Dark Ages actually weren't that bad, at least until the plague came in the 14th century. And meanwhile, outside of Europe, the Dark Ages were truly an age of enlightenment. But we'll get boring Europe out of the way first.