Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: The Modern Library Collection (Complete and Unabridged)

By Edward Gibbon, Gian Battista Piranesi and Daniel J. Boorstin

This Modern Library eBook edition collects all three volumes of Edward Gibbon’s towering masterpiece of classical history The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire—complete and unabridged.
 
Edward Gibbon’s magnum opus narrates the history of the Roman Empire from the second century A.D. to its collapse in the west in the fifth century and in the east in the fifteenth century. Alongside the magnificent narrative lies the author’s wit and sweeping irony, exemplified by Gibbon’s famous definition of history as “little more than the register of the crimes, follies and misfortunes of mankind.”
 
An epic chronicle of uncommon literary distinction, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is widely considered the greatest work of history ever written. This unabridged eBook bundle of the celebrated text edited by Professor J. B. Bury, considered a classic since it first appeared in 1896, includes Gibbon’s own exhaustive notes, Bury’s original Introduction and index, as well as a modern appraisal of Gibbon in an Introduction from Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Daniel J. Boorstin.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jan 28, 2013
• ISBN: 9780812984835

Edward Gibbon

Edward Gibbon; (8 May – 16 January 1794) was an English historian, writer 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 and is known for the quality and irony of its prose, its use of primary sources, and its open criticism of organised religion. (Wikipedia)

Reviews for Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

[darthdeverell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Edward Gibbon argues that the loss of civic virtue amongst the Romans enabled barbarian invaders to succeed in their conquest. The book traces the period from 98 CE to 1590 CE and, as an Enlightenment thinker, Gibbon spends a great deal of time criticizing Catholicism, arguing that Christianity accelerated the fall of the Empire, though he does offer that it may have “mollified the ferocious temper of the conquerors” (ch. 38). In many ways, Gibbon invented modern historical scholarship as he relied wherever possible on primary sources rather than secondhand accounts. Further, he documented all of his sources through footnotes, commenting on the importance of the sources and even injecting some levity into them at points. Though modern historical research and archaeology have disproved his conclusions, the basic summary of events remains a good introduction for those interested in the period Gibbon covers while his footnotes will be of interest to historians looking at Roman historiography. This edition reprints Gibbon’s unabridged text in three volumes with illustrations from Giovanni Battista Piranesi.

[bookomaniac-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Klassiek werk, vooral voor zijn stijl en breedvoerigheid. Typerend: zeer vele morele uitspraken, met betweterige ondertoon, en in elk geval altijd vanuit autoriteit. Dikwijls verwijzingen naar eigen tijd en engelse samenleving.

[chicjohn · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Worth the effort.

[maxernst11 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Klassiek werk, vooral voor zijn stijl en breedvoerigheid. Typerend: zeer vele morele uitspraken, met betweterige ondertoon, en in elk geval altijd vanuit autoriteit. Dikwijls verwijzingen naar eigen tijd en engelse samenleving.

[cmdpilot · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Classical history of the Roman Empire - Volume One

[menophanes · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Gibbon's greatest achievement was to unite the characters of the 'antiquary' (who collected undigested heaps of learning for others to quarry at will) and the 'historian' (who presented his own selection from such heaps in elegant literary form). He is a master of language, capable not only of great dignity and judicious scholarship but also of satire and occasional impish wickedness (as in his famous footnote about the empress Theodora and the geese); but he also recognises the importance of going back to the original sources and leaving a clear record of the fact. It is easy toi forget, too, that in his chapters about the early history of Islam and about the Crusades Gibbon, the great rationalist, shows a decidedly romantic streak. - Bury's Illustrated Library Edition (7 vols.) is the most recent attempt to update Gibbon and is unlikely ever to be superseded.

[datrappert · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dense, but rewarding. Needs to be read in light of more recent scholarship. Love Gibbon's take on Christianity, however.

[rmmee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I first considered reading this as a teenager some 35 years ago, but never got round to it. I have now put that right.When you first start the book, unless you are used to late 18th century writing, the style and vocabulary can seem a little daunting, but this doesn't last for long. No, it is not at all "light" reading, but nor is it particulalry difficult.Gibbon has a very personable style, and is quite vocal in his likes and dislikes. I can certainly understand why the work was disliked by the Church when it was published. His forthright views on the impact of Christianity may not have gone down well (indeed, they may not today!).The history itself is split into two halves. The first half ends with the fall of Rome, and the end of the Western Empire. Personally, I believe that this would have been a better place for Gibbon to stop. The second half deals with the Eastern empire, based on Constantinople, and is more difficult, jumping as it does from one region to another, and moving back and forward in time. For me the highlight is the chapter on the final demise of paganism, and the adoption of Christianity as the state religion. I felt really quite sad at the loss of heritage and culture that this caused. But there are so many other itens which could be singled out as spectacular in the author's narrative.I have read the 8 volume Folio Society edition. This has the full text, but its abridgement of Gibbon's footnotes has been critcised by many. Personally, since it is the only edition I have read (or am likely to read), it has not affected me at all - the footnotes are in places quite amusing and illuminating, but in others dull references to his sources.I am a classicist, but I have learned so much from this work. If you have any interest in the history of Rome, then I would suggest that you don't leave it 35 years to read this book as I did!!!!

[bruce.montador · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

700 pages abridged! But very interesting.

[cole_hendron · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A more succinct and direct testimony of human nature can not be found in any written record. My most lasting impression is one of brevity. No other work attempts to cover such a range of people, time and events. Any one chapter in the work could have been a very interesting and worthwhile book in itself. I also found myself deciphering the latin and greek footnotes with increasing pleasure.My favorite testimony is that of Isaac Asimov, who, after twice reading Gibbon, envisioned a similar but 'galactic' story that would become the Foundation series.

[hadriantheblind · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Truly grand in scope, in subject matter, in style. Some conclusions/sources are out of date, but it is still a joy to read.

[tendulkar01_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

who can write like gibbon? who can claim a sharper wit? and how many historians can say they got ir largely right more than 2 centuries later?