The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
- First published
- 1776
- Reading level
- Fairly demanding
- Price
- Free
About the book
"The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by Edward Gibbon is a six-volume historical work published between 1776 and 1788. This monumental chronicle spans from 98 to 1590, tracing the Roman Empire's peak through its collapse, early Christianity's rise as state religion, the fall of Byzantium, and the ascent of figures like Genghis Khan. Gibbon controversially argued that Christianity contributed to Rome's decline by weakening civic virtue, sparking debates that continue today about the true causes of empire's end.
- Rome
- Byzantine Empire
- Indexes
Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #25717. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire on Wikipedia.
More free books by Edward Gibbon
About Edward GibbonHistory of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 1
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 2
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 3
Private Letters of Edward Gibbon (1753-1794) Volume 1 (of 2)
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 6
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 5
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 4
Memoirs of My Life and Writings
Private Letters of Edward Gibbon (1753-1794) Volume 2 (of 2)
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 3 — Folio format
