Charles Hugh Smith – Once dissed as The Dark Ages, the Medieval Era is more properly viewed as a successful adaptation to the challenges of the post-Western Roman Empire era. The decline of the Western Roman Empire was the result of a constellation of challenges, including (but not limited to) massive new incursions of powerful Germanic tribes, a widening chasm between the Western and the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium), plague, an onerous tax burden on the non-elite classes, weak leadership, the dominance of a self-serving elite (sound familiar?) and last but not least, the expansion of an unproductive rabble in Rome that had to be bribed with increasingly costly Bread and Circuses.
In effect, The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire ran out of time and money.The Grand Strategy, successful for hundreds of years, relied heavily on persuading “barbarian” tribes to join the Roman system for the commercial and security benefits. This process of integration worked because it was backed by the threat of destruction by military force.
The Empire maintained relatively modest military forces given its vast territory, but its road system and fleet enabled relatively rapid concentration of force to counter an invasion. It also maintained extensive fortifications along active borders.
All of this required substantial tax revenues, manpower and effective leadership, not just for fortifications, the army, roads and the fleet, but to maintain the commercial and political benefits offered to “barbarians” who chose integration in the Empire.
Back in the Middle Ages in Europe, the popular path towards spirituality was to become a monk or a nun. Monasteries and convents were well funded as their local populations were compelled by law to, not only attend church on Sundays, but also to donate 10 percent of their incomes to the church.
Turn of the century esoteric writing insists that the Renaissance music pulled the population out of the dark ages by introducing the perfection of chords, harmonies and mathematical patterns found among the tones. The early ornamental classical music inspired the excessively decorated architecture and dress of the time. One mystic writer revealed a concern about cold-hearted people hiding behind elaborate decoration. Hence, Beethoven was “over lit” to create music that enables the masses to feel compassion. According to the writing, charities in Europe were recorded only after people heard the music of Beethoven.
I got an email from a reader a few days ago, asking about something we’ve all faced. Here’s a snip:
We have explored the powerful influence of the the music of the Atlanteans, Pursians, Egytpians and the ancient Chinese populations. We shall go forward in time and look into the Greek music and the early Middle Ages and see just how music influenced these civilizations.