[quote=@Frengo]
Note that the fall of the Roman Empire started a dark age, where the triumph of Christianity over antiquity would forestall human progress for a long period of time (thanks Jesus!). However, in our time line, the Late Ancient Era will be on the threshold of an Exploration Age, where technology is set to drive into medieval-times. Indeed, I envision some of our actual character posts will be concerned with those who first voyaged across the great seas to a new land. 
[/quote]

*cough* I'm actually a medieval historian, and medievalists have allergic reactions to the term "Dark Ages" - it's not 100% inappropriate, but it tends to imply that we don't know what was going on. We actually know a whole lot about the history from 400-800, and many important advances occured. You're right that if technological advances continue without the major disruptions of the collapse of Rome and the endless wars between the Byzantines and the Sassanians, it makes sense that we can bridge several centuries. Still, they were several very, very important centuries of exchange and trade that paved the way for certain advances: for instance, the emergence of cities in Europe [checked, but by no means halted by the Black Death in 1347] allowed new religious and social movements. (anyways I get off on this stuff)

Also I always feel obliged to remind everyone that Europe was a technological backwater in comparison with the East and with the Islamic World: most of Aristotle's work was unavailable in Europe until translators in Spain began translating Arabic copies of Aristotle into Latin. It would be nice if we point out in our posts how knowledge is moving around the world, because technological advances, especially sciences like math, herbology, medecine, philosophy, theology and astronomy are constantly moving around the world. The written word is so powerful, and libraries should be a big concern as we near the end of the history-writing!

[h1][b]COOL FACT TIME[/b][/h1]
Constantinople fell to the Turks in 1452, ending the Eastern Roman Empire, generally known as the Byzantines in the West. However, the Turks and Arabs called Byzantium "Rum" - the etymology is pretty obvious, and the Byzantines considered themselves *the* Empire. Only thirty years later, Columbus set sail. [i]Only thirty years between the political end of the Roman Empire and the European (re-)discovery of America.[/i]