Postclassical Era

The Postclassical Era refers to the historical period of time that immediately followed the Iron Age, generally during the years between 200-600 CE and 1200-1500 CE, depending on the continent. The era is named for the more Eurocentric Classical Era, although the Postclassical Era refers to a more global outline. It is marked by several developments across the world.

In Western Europe, a new form of civilization was reconstructed after the fall of the Western Roman Empire which plunged it into the Dark Ages; during this time the area was generally controlled by the Catholic Church. Their later developments were marked by manorialism, feudalism, and evolved into the prosperous High Middle Ages which culminated in the Renaissance. In Eastern Europe, the Eastern Roman Empire survived as what we now call the Byzantine Empire. Ruled by a religious Christian Orthodox emperor, Byzantium flourished as the leading power and trade center in its region until it was overshadowed by the Islamic Empires.

The introduction of Islam in the Middle East was a major development, inspiring a large empire ruled by the caliphate and conquering all of the Middle East, North Africa, Spain, and parts of India and Southeast Asia. The newfound empire made significant scientific advancements and salvaged older works as well as spreading science, culture (including religion), and trade between the Asian, African, and European continents. East Asia experienced the full establishment of power of China, which pulled out of chaos to establish several prosperous dynasties that would conquer large amounts of territory. As a result, Chinese satellites such as Korea, Vietnam, and Japan were heavily influenced, especially in the spread of religions such as Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism. Gunpowder developed in this era and would quickly lead to its use in warfare and spread around the world. The Mongol Empire greatly affected much of Europe and Asia, the latter of which was conquered in many areas. The Mongols were able to create safe trade and stability between the two regions, but inadvertently encouraged the spread of the Black Plague.

The Americas would remain undiscovered by the Old World throughout this time. The developments of Maya, the Aztec, and the Inca in this time were especially notable amongst the American peoples, but only reached a level of prowess comparable to the Classical Age of the Old World. Therefore, the traditional Postclassical Era time period (approx. 500 CE-1450 CE) could be considered the Classical stage of development in the Americas.