How serious is "Anatoly Fomenko" taken?

[TheistusMaximus]

I'm in dialogue with some nut on another forum and apparently he finds this new chronology theory by Anatoly Fomenko as valid (the theory that history as we know it is mostly made up, and that functioning organized civilizations didn't begin to exist until about 800 AD, that Pompeii was a hoax, history of Egypt/Ancient Rome or Greece as entirely fictious, Carbon-14=phail, etc. etc.)

Now, answering conspiracy theories is somewhat out of my purview, so instead I feel I'll just make an appeal to consensus. How seriously, if I may ask, is this theory taken by mainstream historians? I find it at best laughable, but I have yet to see how this theory has stood up against peer-reviewed scrutiny/critical evaluation, so I feel I'll have to put up or shut up, seeing as the guy unfortunately is too stocked up in hypothesis.

[James Hannam]

Alas, I think if some one is so far gone as to believe that sort of rubbish, reasoning with them is likely to be counter productive. I think it must be one of the silliest conspiracy theories ever. When I first heard of it, I assumed it was a hoax.

Best wishes

James

[rfmoo]

Some crackpots are at least interesting. Fomenko is not. Anyone that muddled needs prompt psychiatric evaluation. That is, if he isn't actually a invention by some sardonic jester. Anybody who argues that Pompeii is a hoax in the light of the excavated city obviously overwhelmed by an ancient pyroclastic flow, never mind that the rest of antiquity and prehistory is a fiction in spite of massive evidence to the contrary, is even loonier than the Holocaust deniers.

Best,

Richard Moorton

[Rex]

Fomenko brings up many very interesting and curious points with his first book, which is the only one I have seen. I think it best to at least give his work a brief glance before rejecting his conclusions out of hand. Personally, I think his research should be studied, and if proven inaccurate, placed on the shelves with all the other "rubbish." At least let us be open minded, and explore new ideas...if for nothing else than the mind expanding experience.

[Jonathan Matear]

I am disturbed that our minds have been so dumbed down that we cannot activate logical thought patterns anymore.
That is the true conspiracy of the ages, and how many of our ancestors fell captive to feudalistic oppressors because of this very midset.
Truth will always be truth regardless of the validity of ancient manuscripts.
There is a huge canyon between the validity of a roman ceasors existence and the timeless truths contained within the pages of the Holy Bible, men have been trying to dethrone our true Lord and King Jesus Christ so that they can persue their Sadomasacistic selfish dreams without the uncomfortable thought that there may be a moral and righteous God to answer to.