Part 10/14:
- Intellectual renaissance, theological debates, and doctrinal developments
Some propose that this era was not solely one of destruction but one of transformation and renewal, shaping the medieval world.
False Causes and Oversimplifications
Aldrete warns against some popular yet oversimplified explanations, such as:
Lead poisoning from water pipes—which was a constant throughout Roman history and unlikely to be a sole cause.
Moral decay—often popularized by Victorian writers and Hollywood portrayals—fails to account for the complexity of Roman society; the wealthiest elite may have indulged in decadence, but the majority of common citizens led modest lives.