The English historian Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) wrote and published his seminal work History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire between 1776 and 1788. The dominant theme of Gibbon's six-volume work is that the fall of the Roman Empire was due to the rise of Christianity with its negative effects on the people and politics of Rome.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2153/gibbons-decline--fall-of-the-roman-empire/.
Join the Conversation
- Do you think Gibbon was fair to blame Christianity for Rome's fall?
- How do you think Gibbon's own beliefs shaped his view of Roman history?
- Why do you think Gibbon's book still matters to historians today?
Is there anything you'd like to ask me about this article? Ask away — and if you spot something that should be covered, that's useful to know too.