After the global revolution and prior to the great destruction much of the internet was preserved by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST). Sounds and visions from planet Earth were cherished on long excursions aboard Laurasia. Especially as a sleep aid, but also for entertainment. This - is Ike and Tina Turner.
Museum
Selections of art taken from Chris Lehrer's Lyceum under the heading: Window to the Past.
Country Folk in a Frozen Winter Landscape, by Wouterus Verschuur: c. 1800s
Radio Laurasia
Listen to Soma FM streaming radio, a favorite of the space station Laurasia since the global revolution. You may or may not have to download the free Winamp or Real audio player.
Faith and sword carve the path of empires. - Arabic proverb, c. 700 CE (adapted from early Islamic texts)
From 400 to 800 CE, the early medieval world navigated the collapse of classical empires and the rise of new powers, blending faith, conquest, and culture. The Western Roman Empire fell (476 CE), but the Byzantine Empire preserved Roman traditions, thriving in Constantinople. The Islamic Caliphates, emerging with Muhammad (622 CE), unified Arabia and beyond, spreading a new faith. Tang China (618–907 CE) achieved a cultural and technological zenith, expanding Silk Road trade. In Europe, the Franks under Charlemagne (800 CE) forged a Christian empire. Iron technology and trade networks, like the Silk Road and Indian Ocean routes, linked these regions, exchanging paper, spices, and ideas. Archaeological finds, such as Hagia Sophia’s mosaics and Tang tombs, reveal vibrant societies. Religious shifts—Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism—shaped identities, creating a crossroads of civilizations that bridged classical and medieval worlds.
A New World Order
Collapse and conquest reshaped societies, blending old traditions with new faiths.
Pillars of the Era
Fall of Western Rome (c. 476 CE).
Byzantine Empire’s resilience.
Islamic Caliphates’ rise (c. 622 CE).
Tang China’s cultural peak (c. 618 CE).
Frankish Empire under Charlemagne (c. 800 CE).
Silk Road and religious exchange.
Cultural Crossroads
This era’s faiths and empires forged a connected medieval world.
The Western Roman Empire collapsed 476 CE, when Germanic king Odoacer deposed Romulus Augustulus, ending centuries of Roman rule. Causes included barbarian invasions, economic decline, and internal strife, with Visigoths sacking Rome (410 CE), as recorded by Jerome. Iron-armed Germanic tribes, like the Vandals, carved kingdoms in Gaul and North Africa, as seen in Carthage’s ruins. Christianity unified fragments, with bishops like Augustine shaping theology in City of God (426 CE). Trade declined, but local economies persisted, with pottery finds in Ravenna. The Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire preserved Roman law and infrastructure, as seen in Justinian’s Corpus Juris Civilis (529 CE). Archaeological evidence, like Rome’s abandoned forums, shows urban decay, yet monasteries preserved texts. The fall decentralized Europe, birthing feudalism and enabling Frankish rise, while Roman law and Christianity left enduring legacies, shaping medieval Europe’s political and spiritual identity.
Imperial Collapse
Western Rome’s fall fragmented Europe, shifting power to Germanic tribes and churches.
Western Rome’s Fall
Odoacer’s deposition (c. 476 CE).
Visigoth sack of Rome (c. 410 CE).
Germanic kingdoms in Gaul and Africa.
Augustine’s City of God (c. 426 CE).
Byzantine preservation of Roman law.
Rise of Christian monasteries.
Archaeological Evidence
Rome’s forums and Ravenna’s ruins reveal decline and continuity.
Lasting Impact
Roman law and Christianity shaped medieval Europe’s foundations.
The Byzantine Empire (330–1453 CE), centered in Constantinople, thrived after Western Rome’s fall, preserving Roman traditions. Justinian I (527–565 CE) reconquered Italy and North Africa, codifying Roman law in the Corpus Juris Civilis. Hagia Sophia (537 CE), with its massive dome, symbolized Byzantine wealth, as seen in its mosaics. Iron weapons and Greek fire strengthened defenses, repelling Arab sieges (674–678 CE). Trade with China and India brought silk and spices, evident in Thessaloniki’s markets. Christianity, formalized at councils like Chalcedon (451 CE), unified the empire, with icons shaping worship. Archaeological finds, like Constantinople’s walls, show defensive prowess. Political intrigue and religious disputes, like iconoclasm (730 CE), challenged stability. The Byzantine Empire’s legal, cultural, and military systems bridged classical and medieval worlds, influencing Europe and Islam, with its legacy enduring in Orthodox Christianity and law.
Byzantine Continuity
Justinian’s reforms and defenses preserved Roman heritage amid challenges.
Byzantine Achievements
Justinian’s conquests (c. 527–565 CE).
Corpus Juris Civilis (c. 529 CE).
Hagia Sophia’s construction (c. 537 CE).
Greek fire and iron weapons.
Trade with China and India.
Christian councils and icon worship.
Archaeological Insights
Hagia Sophia’s mosaics and Constantinople’s walls show Byzantine grandeur.
Cultural Legacy
Byzantine law and faith shaped medieval Europe and Orthodoxy.
Islam emerged with Muhammad’s revelations (610 CE), unifying Arabia by about 632 CE under the Rashidun Caliphate. The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE) expanded into Persia, North Africa, and Spain, defeating Byzantines at Yarmouk (636 CE), as recorded in Al-Tabari’s chronicles. Iron swords and cavalry enabled rapid conquests, creating an empire of about 10 million. Damascus became a cultural hub, with the Umayyad Mosque (715 CE) showcasing Islamic art. Trade along the Indian Ocean brought Chinese paper and Indian spices, as seen in Basra’s ports. The Quran and Hadith standardized faith, with madrasas teaching Arabic script. Archaeological finds, like Samarra’s ruins, reveal urban planning. The Abbasid Caliphate (c. 750 CE) shifted to Baghdad, fostering scholarship in the House of Wisdom. Islam’s rapid spread unified diverse regions, influencing global culture, science, and religion, with legacies enduring in law and art.
Islamic Expansion
Rapid conquests and faith unified a vast empire, blending cultures.
Islamic Milestones
Muhammad’s unification (c. 632 CE).
Umayyad conquests (c. 661–750 CE).
Umayyad Mosque (c. 715 CE).
Trade with China and India.
Abbasid House of Wisdom (c. 750 CE).
Quran and Arabic scholarship.
Archaeological Evidence
Samarra and Basra reveal Islamic urban and trade networks.
Global Impact
Islam shaped global religion, science, and culture.
The Tang dynasty (618–907 CE), founded by Li Yuan, reached a cultural and technological zenith, centered in Chang’an, with about 2 million residents. Iron plows and printing, like woodblock sutras (700 CE), boosted agriculture and literacy. The Silk Road flourished, trading silk for Persian silver, as seen in Xi’an’s hoards. Empress Wu Zetian (690–705 CE), China’s only female ruler, expanded Buddhist patronage, building Longmen Grottoes. Confucianism guided bureaucracy, with approximately 380,000 officials per Tang records. Poetry by Li Bai and Du Fu (750 CE) captured cultural vibrancy. Archaeological finds, like An Lushan’s rebellion sites (c. 755 CE), show political challenges. Buddhism, Daoism, and Nestorian Christianity coexisted, with Chang’an’s monasteries housing diverse texts. The Tang’s cosmopolitanism, seen in Sogdian merchants’ tombs, influenced Korea and Japan. Its art, technology, and governance shaped East Asia, leaving a legacy of cultural brilliance despite later decline.
Cosmopolitan Zenith
Tang’s trade and culture unified East Asia, fostering innovation.
Tang Achievements
Li Yuan’s founding (c. 618 CE).
Woodblock printing (c. 700 CE).
Silk Road trade with Persia.
Wu Zetian’s rule (c. 690–705 CE).
Li Bai and Du Fu’s poetry (c. 750 CE).
Buddhist and multi-faith patronage.
Archaeological Insights
Longmen Grottoes and Xi’an hoards show Tang wealth.
Cultural Legacy
Tang culture influenced East Asia’s art and governance.
The Franks, under Charlemagne (768–814 CE), unified much of Western Europe, creating a Christian empire. Crowned Holy Roman Emperor (800 CE) by Pope Leo III, Charlemagne conquered Saxons and Lombards, using iron swords, as seen in Aachen’s armories. The Carolingian Renaissance revived learning, with monasteries copying Latin texts, like Alcuin’s scripts. Agriculture thrived with iron plows, supporting approximately 10 million, per Frankish annals. Trade with Byzantium and Abbasids brought spices and silks, evident in Trier’s markets. Christianity, with Aachen’s Palatine Chapel, unified the empire, blending Roman and Germanic traditions. Archaeological finds, like Lorsch Abbey’s gatehouse, show architectural ambition. Charlemagne’s centralized rule and legal reforms, like capitularies, strengthened governance but relied on loyalty. His empire fragmented after about 814 CE, but its cultural and religious unity shaped medieval Europe, influencing feudalism and the Holy Roman Empire.
Carolingian Unity
Charlemagne’s conquests and reforms forged a Christian Europe.
Frankish Milestones
Charlemagne’s coronation (c. 800 CE).
Carolingian Renaissance.
Iron swords and plows.
Trade with Byzantium and Abbasids.
Aachen’s Palatine Chapel.
Legal reforms and monasteries.
Archaeological Evidence
Lorsch and Aachen reveal Frankish ambition and faith.
Summary: Medieval empires drove progress but deepened inequality. Elite control of trade and faith marginalized commoners, embedding systemic disparities in fragmented societies.
Summary: Byzantine, Islamic, Tang, and Frankish empires balanced conquest with culture, forging vibrant civilizations. Hierarchies grew, but religious and intellectual legacies enriched history.
Summary: Imperial systems and faiths established enduring order, preserving values through conquest and wisdom. This era reflects humanity’s pursuit of stability and meaning.
Lyceum
Welcome to Space Station Laurasia! All passengers and crew members receive a personal device called a Lyceum, which serves as a journal to record and share information with family and friends via neutrionic mobile or desktop devices back on Earth’s surface. This is the Lyceum of Raymond Sheen.
Animations: Dragonset, Matters of Grave Concern, The Pillars of Barad-Dur, Heart of Stone, Golden Leaves, Gravity, and Dragons in Moonlight, by Steven David Bennett
Quo Vadis? [Latin] - Where Are You Going?
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go. - Dr. Seuss
