“Dark Age” is a term bandied about shamelessly in discourse, but in its strictest sense a dark age occurs when a society completely loses literacy. This presentation will explore three dark ages: the Greek Dark Ages after the fall of Mycenean society (11th-8th centuries BC); the Nubian “X-Group” after the fall of the Kushite Empire (4th-6th centuries AD); and “Sub-Roman” Britain after Rome’s withdrawal (5th-6th centuries AD). In each case, we will examine what caused the loss of literacy, how literacy returned, and lessons we can learn for today.

Speaker Bio: Adam Sedia is a poet, essayist, translator, and classical composer. He has published three volumes of poetry Visions Beyond, Inquietude and The Spring’s Autumn, and his poems and essays have appeared in publications including The Chained Muse, The Society of Classical Poets’ journal, and Indiana Voice Journal. His music can be heard on his YouTube channel. He lives in his native Northwest Indiana with his wife and children, where he practices law as a civil and appellate litigator.