The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

by Edward Gibbon, GP Editors (Editor)

‘The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire’ is a book of history written by the English historian Edward Gibbon (1737-1794). It traces the trajectory of Western civilization (as well as the Islamic and Mongolian conquests) from the height of the Roman Empire to the fall of Byzantium. The work covers the history of the Roman Empire, Europe, and the Catholic Church from 98 to 1590 and discusses the decline of the Roman Empire in the East and West.
Gibbon offers an explanation for the fall of the Roman Empire, a task made difficult by a lack of comprehensive written sources, though he was not the only historian to attempt the task. According to Gibbon, the Roman Empire succumbed to barbarian invasions in large part due to the gradual loss of civic virtue among its citizens. They had become weak, outsourcing their duty to defend their empire to barbarian mercenaries, who then became so numerous and ingrained that they were able to take over the Empire. Romans, he believed, were unwilling to live a tougher, military lifestyle.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

5069 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2022

About the author

Edward Gibbon (8 May 1737 – 16 January 1794) was an English historian and Member of Parliament. His most important work, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1788. The Decline and Fall is known for the quality and irony of its prose, its use of primary sources, and its open criticism of organised religion.

Gibbon returned to England in June 1765. His father died in 1770, and after tending to the estate, which was by no means in good condition, there remained quite enough for Gibbon to settle fashionably in London at 7 Bentinck Street, independent of financial concerns. By February 1773, he was writing in earnest, but not without the occasional self-imposed distraction. He took to London society quite easily, and joined the better social clubs, including Dr. Johnson's Literary Club, and looked in from time to time on his friend Holroyd in Sussex. He succeeded Oliver Goldsmith at the Royal Academy as 'professor in ancient history' (honorary but prestigious). In late 1774, he was initiated a freemason of the Premier Grand Lodge of England. And, perhaps least productively in that same year, he was returned to the House of Commons for Liskeard, Cornwall through the intervention of his relative and patron, Edward Eliot. He became the archetypal back-bencher, benignly "mute" and "indifferent," his support of the Whig ministry invariably automatic. Gibbon's indolence in that position, perhaps fully intentional, subtracted little from the progress of his writing.

After several rewrites, with Gibbon "often tempted to throw away the labours of seven years," the first volume of what would become his life's major achievement, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published on 17 February 1776. Through 1777, the reading public eagerly consumed three editions for which Gibbon was rewarded handsomely: two-thirds of the profits amounting to approximately £1,000. Biographer Leslie Stephen wrote that thereafter, "His fame was as rapid as it has been lasting." And as regards this first volume, "Some warm praise from David Hume overpaid the labour of ten years."

Volumes II and III appeared on 1 March 1781, eventually rising "to a level with the previous volume in general esteem." Volume IV was finished in June 1784; the final two were completed during a second Lausanne sojourn (September 1783 to August 1787) where Gibbon reunited with his friend Deyverdun in leisurely comfort. By early 1787, he was "straining for the goal" and with great relief the project was finished in June. Gibbon later wrote:

It was on the day, or rather the night, of 27 June 1787, between the hours of eleven and twelve, that I wrote the last lines of the last page in a summer-house in my garden. ... I will not dissemble the first emotions of joy on the recovery of my freedom, and perhaps the establishment of my fame. But my pride was soon humbled, and a sober melancholy was spread over my mind by the idea that I had taken my everlasting leave of an old and agreeable companion, and that, whatsoever might be the future date of my history, the life of the historian must be short and precarious.

Volumes IV, V, and VI finally reached the press in May 1788, their publication having been delayed since March so it could coincide with a dinner party celebrating Gibbon's 51st birthday (the 8th). Mounting a bandwagon of praise for the later volumes were such contemporary luminaries as Adam Smith, William Robertson, Adam Ferguson, Lord Camden, and Horace Walpole. Smith remarked that Gibbon's triumph had positioned him "at the very head of [Europe's] literary tribe."

Reviews

[Sammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oof! That was one heck of a marathon read! At 5000 pages, with my reading speed I could technically have read it in a week, but as readable as this is (and it is!), that would have just been far too much. I certainly wouldn’t have enjoyed it much blowing through it at that speed.
So instead, I stretched it out over the course of a little over 3 months, reading a little here and there in between other books. I also read a large chunk towards the end of April because this one was so much more interesting than the fiction book I was reading at the time!

On to the book itself: I don’t think it needs much in the way of introduction. As for content, there were the expected parts, such as books 1 & 2, which dealt with mostly familiar names and events in and around Rome. A few less known to me sections followed, including a very interesting one on Persia, which made me want to look into that place and time a little closer in future. There were adventures with the Goths and the Huns, and towards the latter third or so there was quite a lot about the Roman clash with the followers of Islam. I’ve not come across mention of Aleppo very often in historical non-fiction, so that was pretty interesting too.

Would I recommend it? Honestly? Not really. If you’re the kind of person that would enjoy this kind of book, then you’ll likely have made up your mind whether or not you’re going to invest the time in it already. If you’re the kind of person that doesn’t like older books, history books or books over 500 pages, then you’re not going to enjoy this. You will know better than I do which category you fall in.

[Autumn Kearney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another one of those books for brainiacs. I’m obviously not one of them. It would take a lifetime to read this enormous book. I had no idea how huge it was when I bought it on sale on Kindle.

PS. I did like what I have read of it. It's way over my head.

[David Koogler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read/listen. It is by far the biggest book that I ever read. It was published in 1776 by Edward Gibbons, a member of the house of lords in Britain, and it took him over 20 years to write. Before I began reading it, I had serious doubts that I would be able to engage with it for the language barrier alone, since books written that long ago can be tough to follow. However, Gibbons did an amazing job writing this history of Rome and all of the countries, individuals, and events that transpired or affected the eventual decline and fall of the Roman empire. I highly recommend this to any historian who wishes to learn more about ancient Rome.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is so hard to review. It's dated, of course. Even at that, if half stars were an option, I'd have given 2.5. There is too much conjecture, too many instances of the author's personal prejudices influencing his conclusions, and too much of an England-centric slant to parts of the narrative. It is a prodigious work, clearly requiring a commitment of many years to produce. It absolutely has significant value as a historical study. It is, though, flawed even in light of the writer's era and place.

[Kenneth Lund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completing this work was an epic undertaking. The six volumes are massive. But it is fascinating. It covers a much broader period than I expected, with only the first two volumes really focusing on Rome—the remaining four volumes are focused on the Byzantine empire. But this work is more a primer on the history of the origins of modern Europe and the history of major European and Middle Eastern powers. The complex tapestry of competing powers, the complicated relationship between Christianity and the crown, and competing Christian doctrine makes this a primer for medieval history. So much fascinating subject matter.