Contrary to what you might believe, you aren't actually living in the 21st Century. Instead, you're in the 1700s, and the reason that most of you don't recognize this fact is that the elites of the early medieval period worked hard to deceive you. At least, that's what German historian Herbert Illig puts forward in his phantom time hypothesis. "There's this outrageous claim that all historians have made a mistake and that we've all had the wool pulled over our eyes and that the chronology we all follow today is wrong," explains David Hamon, an independent researcher who has studied alternative histories.
What Is the Phantom Time Hypothesis?
The phantom time hypothesis goes something like this: The Holy Roman Emperor Otto III conspired with Pope Sylvester II (and quite possibly the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII as well) to doctor the dating system. The trio cooked the books to place their reigns at A.D. 1000, which they did because it is an auspicious number.
