First Volume of Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Is Published
The first volume of Edward Gibbon's notable historical work, *The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire*, was published on February 17, 1776. This ambitious project, which Gibbon completed in multiple volumes by 1788, explores the factors contributing to the decline of the Roman Empire, focusing particularly on the Western Empire's fall in 476 AD. Gibbon attributes this decline primarily to moral decadence and the divisive role of Christianity, suggesting that these elements undermined the traditional virtues that had sustained Roman power.
While Gibbon's conclusions have faced criticism over the years—especially regarding his perceived neglect of other significant factors such as plague, famine, and barbarian invasions—his work is celebrated for its eloquent prose and extensive narrative scope. Born into privilege in England, Gibbon's passion for history was kindled during his studies in Switzerland and a formative visit to Rome. Despite its controversial elements, *Decline and Fall* achieved widespread popularity and remains a seminal text in historical studies, prompting ongoing discussions about the complexities of the Roman Empire's decline. Gibbon passed away in 1794, shortly after the completion of his influential project.
First Volume of Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Is Published
First Volume of Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Is Published
On February 17, 1776, the first volume of historian Edward Gibbon's comprehensive treatise The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire was published. The work would be issued in successive volumes until its completion in 1788 and, although it is no longer considered wholly accurate in its conclusions, it remains a classic in the field of history.
Gibbon was born at Putney in Surrey, England, on April 27, 1737. His parents were wealthy and he led a privileged life. As a youth Gibbon was sent to Switzerland, where he studied for many years and developed an interest in history. He visited Rome in 1764 and decided to write a history of the Roman Empire. Thanks to his family fortune and a sinecure in the House of Commons (his father had been a member of Parliament), Gibbon was able to devote most of his time to historical research and writing. Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire became a bestseller, despite its denigration of Christianity, and the work was praised for excellence of style, sweep of narrative, and attention to historical detail. Gibbon died on January 6, 1794, in London, only a few years after the final volume of his work was published.
Gibbon blamed the fall of the Western Roman Empire in a.d. 476 on two primary factors: moral decadence and the divisive influence of Christianity, which in his view distracted Roman rulers and destroyed the traditional virtues that had made the Romans a great conquering people. Critics of this theory point out that the Eastern Roman Empire was far more Christian than the Western, yet it lived on in the form of the Byzantine Empire until 1453. There are also other possible explanations for the collapse of the Western Empire, involving plague, famine, class warfare, barbarian migrations, and excessive taxation. Still, while to many modern scholars Gibbon neglected to thoroughly examine other reasons for the decline and fall of Rome, these disputes do not detract from his place in the front ranks of great modern historians.