And the period before that called The Classical era. So much history and such a difficult era to live in.
"The Classical era preceded the Dark Ages. The Classical era includes the histories of ancient Greece and Rome. The beginning of this era dates back to Archaic period of ancient Greece, which began in the 8th century BC. The Roman Empire fell in 476 AD. The Dark Ages was a time in European history between 476 AD and 1400 AD. This era is more accurately called the Middle Ages or the Medieval period. The Dark Ages were followed by the Renaissance."
An interesting read about the Classical Era is The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, by C. Suetonius Really there were only six Caesers, Julius thru Nero, but Suetonius tacks on six more emperors anyway. It's a very gossipy discussion of the lives of emperors. Free version: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/6400/6400-h/6400-h.htm
The biggest thing I've read from the Dark Ages is A Distant Mirror by Barbara W. Tuchman Subtitled "The Calamitous 14th Century" it covers daily life plus plagues, crusades, and church schisms.
There's also The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. Set in the 11000s, it centers the story around the building of a large cathedral. Be warned there's a fair amount of brutality in the book, but it's an engaging story.
@Axeroberts Yeah, he covers Julius, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, & Nero, the six members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Then three short-lived emperors, then the three Flavians.
@Axeroberts I absolutely agree. The paintings of that time have significance because not only of the subject matter, but the fact that you can see how painting was evolving. People were trying to paint all sorts of things, including animals they had never seen in their lives, and the results are often hilarious.
