1 End of Late Antiquity or the beginning of the Middle Ages (c. 500-c. 600)? 39 -- 2 Southeast European "Dark Ages" (c. 600-c. 800) 70 -- 3 Rise of new powers (800-900) 111 -- 4 Iron century or golden age (900-1000)? 180 -- 5 First Byzantine century (1000-1100) 248 -- 6 Second Byzantine century (1100-1200) 311 -- 7 Between the Crusade and the Mongol invasion (1200-1250) 366 -- 8 Conclusions and lingering questions 415.