The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Volume IV of VI)

by Edward Gibbon

Overview

Inspired during a trip to Rome to write a work that would come to define a large portion of his life, Gibbon proceeded to write one of the most ambitious histories in the English language. "The History" is an epic narrative, comprised of six volumes, that covers thirteen centuries of Roman history. Beginning after Marcus Aurelius in 180 and concluding in 1453, Gibbon provides both the broad pattern and the illuminating details of this time period, covering an enormous number of characters and topics with insightful precision. The general objective of this history is to mark the gradual fall of the Roman Empire, stating many reasons for Rome's decay, from political decisions to religious behavior. Published between 1776 and 1788, "The History" has all of the detached irony and objective quality of eighteenth century prose, and it is additionally praised for its extensive and accurate use of reference materials. Gibbon's use of citations became the precursor to today's footnotes, providing entertaining commentary on both ancient Rome and the Great Britain of his own time. Now called the 'modern historian of ancient Rome,' Gibbon's bold work has become the model of most modern historians. Contained here is volume IV of VI, representing chapters XXXIX through XLVIII and is extensively annotated by H. H. Milman.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781596256354
Publisher:	Digireads.com Publishing
Publication date:	04/25/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Edward Gibbon was born in 1737 in Putney, England, and was the only child of his parents to survive infancy. Although his education was frequently interrupted by ill health, his knowledge was far-reaching. His brief career as an undergraduate at Magdalen College, Oxford, ended when he joined the Catholic Church. His father sent him to Lausanne, in Switzerland, where, while studying Greek and French for the next five years, he re-joined the Protestant Church. In 1761 he published his Essai sur l'étude de la Littérature; the English version appeared in 1764. Meanwhile, Gibbon served as a captain in the Hampshire Militia until 1763, when he returned to the Continent. It was while he was in Rome in 1764 that he first conceived the work that was eventually to become The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

In 1774, after the death of his father, Gibbon settled in London and was elected to Parliament where he sat for the next eight years, although he never once spoke in the Commons. He also took his place among the literary circles of London. The first volume of his famous History was published in 1776; it was highly praised for its learning and style but incurred some censure for its treatment of the early Christians. The second and third volumes appeared in 1781 and the final three, which were written in Lausanne, in 1788. He died while on a visit to his friend, Lord Sheffield, who posthumously edited Gibbon's autobiographical papers and published them in 1796.

David Womersley teaches at Jesus College, Oxford, and edited Gibbon's The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire for Penguin Classics.

David Womersley teaches at Jesus College, Oxford, and edited Gibbon's The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire for Penguin Classics.

Table of Contents

Abridged with a New Introduction and Notes by David Womersley

Abbreviations Introduction Selected Further Reading A Note on the Text Chronology

Gibbon's Prefaces Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III
[Chapters IV-VI]
Chapter VII
[Chapters VIII-XIV]
Chapter XV
[Chapters XVI-XXI]
Chapter XXII Chapter XXIII Chapter XXIV
[Chapters XXV-XXVII]
Chapter XXVIII
[Chapters XXIX-XXXIII]
Chapter XXXIV Chapter XXXV
[Chapters XXXVI-XXXVIII]
General Observations on the Fall of the Roman Empire in the West
[Chapter XXXIX]
Chapter XL Chapter XLI
[Chapters XLII-XLIX]
Chapter L
[Chapters LI-LIII]
Chapter LIV
[Chapters LV-LXVII]
Chapter LXVIII
[Chapters LXIX-LXX]
Chapter LXXI

Biographica