Watch This When You're High - Are We Actually Living In the Year 1726? The Phantom Time Hypothesis Claims That We Are
Ever since the massive discovery of the gigantic unknown structures beneath the pyramids in Giza broke a few weeks ago, I haven't been able to stop reading and watching everything I can about it.
Upon diving into things, I keep reading about how our modern perception of "time" is in fact very far off from where we believe we are in terms of the Holy Roman Empire's famous calendar. And that this discovery helps prove that because the pyramids are tens of thousands of years older than we've been lead to believe. (It is also extremely unlikely that they were built by Egyptian slaves but that's an entirely different blog I will write on another day.)
Anyway, if we aren't living in the year 2025 A.D., then what fucking year is it?
And why do we think it's 2025 to begin with?
Enter the "Phantom Time Hypothesis".
The theory claims that a solid 300 years of human history, roughly between 614 AD and 911 A.D., were fabricated by none other than the Roman Emperor Otto III, abd Pope Sylvester II, to puff up their own egos and secure power. If true, we're talking about the ultimate history "glitch", a phantom time where nothing really happened.
According to this theory, we’re all living in the 18th century, not the 21st.
A German historian named Heribert Illig tossed the theory out in the ‘90s, and if he’s right, then we’ve all been living a lie.
(A bigger lie than your gay uncle, who just hasn't found the right girl yet.)
History books, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Monty Python- the whole deal could be one giant conspiracy.
The crux of the argument: Some genius power players decided to create an extra 300 years of history to legitimize their reign.
All via Roman Emperor Otto III, the Pope, and a whole lot of political maneuvering in 1000 AD. Their goal? Take control of a millennium to solidify their status and influence.
The theory leans on some pretty bizarre gaps in history.
First off, there's a serious shortage of castles and architectural progress between (around) 476 AD and 1000 AD. There's just a huge fucking gap in one of the most interesting periods of time. Right after the fall of the Roman Empire and leading into the rise of the Middle Ages. Nothing. Nada. No major European landmarks.
It’s like the whole continent took a nap for 300 years.
Plus, there’s the issue of record-keeping (or complete lack thereof). The theory points out that the Roman Empire’s historical records essentially stop around 610 AD.
Pretty convenient, huh?
And when those records stop, suddenly, there’s this gap that no one can explain. It’s like the history books just forgot to write down the most important years, and no one questioned it.
According to the theory, Islamic historians, who had their own records of the time, were allegedly in on the whole charade. They might have added extra years and events to their documents just to help the Holy Roman Emperor look even more glorious. (A far stretch given that whole crusades thing and all, but that's why it's just a theory and not proven fact. Stay with me here.)
On top of all that, the cherry on top is Halley’s Comet, which makes its appearance every 75 years, and is a major astronomical event that should have been recorded all over Europe. But guess what? There’s barely any mention of it during this so-called fabricated "phantom time" period.
One of the bigger questions that historians and skeptics point to when poking holes in this theory however is does this mean that Charlemagne was just be some fictional character? And his reign never occurred? How do you explain that?
I want to fire these back up so keep the topic suggestions coming. Keep them classy. No butt stuff.