The southern end of the Dead Sea is believed to be the ancient land of Canaan, site of the legendary cities of sin - Sodom and Gomorrah. According to the Bible, these cities, along with three others, were destroyed by fire and brimstone. But did these cities even exist? Were there really two cities called Sodom and Gomorrah that were so wicked they were utterly demolished by God? Generations of school children have been taught that it was the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 AD that brought about the Dark Ages. But new and startling discoveries suggest that Rome may have been just another victim. Could there be some clearly identifiable cause that sent the world into an age of ignorance, brutality, and poverty completely beyond the control of nations and governments? What brought about the decline of civilization?