History Compass Video Abstract by John Howe

Re-Forging the ‘Age of Iron’ Part I: The Tenth Century as the End of the Ancient World? The tenth century, once dismissed as an unpleasant ‘Age of Iron’, now receives increased attention as an important age of transition. Historians are attempting to understand how it fits into the broader narrative of Western Civilization. Although some scholars have identified it as the last act of the post-Roman world, others see it as a new age.