As a little note, I am of the opinion that there are indeed five great ages to mans history, each triggered by a great event, and ended by another event. Each of these great ages is composed of shorter, but nonetheless important, ages. For instance the Bronze Age and the Iron Age in the Ancient Period, and the Dark Age in the Middle Age. These five great ages are:
1) The Pre-Civilization Age, which stretches from the beginnings of man to 6000BC and the start of the first cities, Jericho in Israel, and Catal Huyuk in Turkey. This covers the earliest period of man, his development. It is also, by far the longest period.
2) The Ancient Age picks up where the Pre-Civilization Age ends, at the founding of the first cities in 6000BC. This age continues to 476AD when it abruptly ends with the destruction of the Roman Empire of the West and the sack of Rome by the barbarians.
3) The Middle Age, which is truly in the middle of mans history, starts in the smoke of the burning Rome with the 400-year period known as the Dark Ages. In fact, rather than ending the period in 800AD, this age continues past the Dark Ages to 1453AD with the sack of Constantinople by the Islamic Empire and the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire. This events not only directly leads to Columbus voyage in which he founds the Americas, it ushered in a new age.
4) The Intellectual Age, as it has been called, was started by the fall of the Byzantines, and first came about in Europe with the Renaissance. The Intellectual Age is perhaps not the right name, as it seems to have been more foolish than the past ages of man, and the changes in this age did just as much harm as it did improvement, and ultimately ended with the successive worldwide revolutions. Besides the many violent revolutions (especially the barbaric revolutions in France) the new age of the modern was brought about by the Industrial Revolution.
5) The Modern Age, our age, started in the late 18th Century with the start of the Industrial Revolution. Perhaps this age has become the most complex and foolish one of all those before it in the history of man, and the blood spilt in this period cannot be equaled by any of the blood spilt in the last two eras, at least. For better or for worse, mans technology now runs nearly everything. Its quite sad in some ways
And hey! The Iron Maiden is a fake! A fable! You know, that sorta thing...
