The Phantom Time Hypothesis: Did 297 Years of History Never Happen?

What if I told you that the year isn't actually 2025, but 1728? What if Charlemagne, one of history's most famous emperors, never existed at all?

In this mind-bending episode, host Paul Stiling dives deep into the Phantom Time Hypothesis - the explosive theory that claims 297 years of the Middle Ages (614-911 AD) were completely fabricated by medieval conspirators. German researcher Heribert Illig spent decades building what he believed was an ironclad case that our entire understanding of the Early Middle Ages is built on elaborate lies.

🔍 What We Explore:

• The shocking claims that Holy Roman Emperor Otto III, Pope Sylvester II, and Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII conspired to "jump" the timeline forward to the mystical year 1000 AD
• Archaeological "evidence" that supposedly proves these centuries never existed
• Why TikTok users are connecting this theory to simulation theory and digital reality
• The devastating academic response that dismantled Illig's claims
• How online communities have resurrected and evolved this theory in the digital age
• The psychology behind why alternative history theories persist despite overwhelming contradictory evidence

From medieval monasteries to modern social media, this episode examines how a fringe historical theory became a viral sensation, raising profound questions about truth, reality, and what we think we know about the past.

Warning: This episode will make you question everything you thought you knew about medieval history - and maybe reality itself.

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