lateancient

Late Antiquity is a scholarly term for a transitional period in the Mediterranean world, roughly from the 3rd to the 8th century CE, that bridges Classical Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Dates vary among scholars, with some extending the era from the late Roman Empire's beginnings to the early medieval period. The concept emphasizes continuity with late antique traditions while acknowledging substantial political, religious, and cultural transformations.

In politics, the era witnessed the crisis and reform of the Roman Empire, the formal division into East and West, and the eventual collapse of the Western Empire. The Eastern (Byzantine) Empire continued with new administrative forms and resilient court culture. Powerful neighboring polities, including the Sasanian Empire in the east and later Arab caliphates, shaped the political landscape.

Religiously, Late Antiquity saw Christianity emerge as a dominant institutional force, along with continuing debates about doctrine, monasticism, and church organization. Judaism and various pagan traditions also persisted, while the rise of Islam in the 7th century created a new major religious and political system that interacted with Christian and Byzantine realms.

Culture and knowledge in this period included philosophical schools, theological writings, and the production of art, architecture, and liturgy that blended classical and Christian elements. Latin and Greek literature continued to be produced, and classical learning was transmitted through monastic and later scholarly institutions.

Scholars sometimes extend the period into the early medieval era or end it with events such as the Arab conquests, the rise of Charlemagne, or the shift in Mediterranean trade networks. The term remains a useful but debated label for describing broad patterns of continuity and change across the late antique world.