The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire – Volume 1, Edward Gibbon

Edward Gibbon’s six-volume History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776-1788) is among the most magnificent and ambitious narratives in European literature. Its subject is the fate of one of the world’s greatest civilizations over thirteen centuries – its rulers, wars and society, and the events that led to its disastrous collapse. Here Gibbon charts the vast extent and constitution of the Empire from the reign of Augustus to 395 CE. And in a controversial critique, he examines the early church, with fascinating accounts of the first Christian and last pagan emperors, Constantine and Julian. This definitive three-volume Penguin Classics edition provides a complete and unmodernized text, presenting the History as it appeared to its early readers. In his introduction, David Womersley discusses Gibbon’s life and literary career, and his insightful and vivid style of writing. This volume also includes updates, further reading, a new chronology, appendices and notes.