The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

This article is about the book. For the historical events, see Fall of the Western Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire. For the board war game, see Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (game).
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Title page from John Quincy Adams's copy of the third edition (1777)
AuthorEdward Gibbon
LanguageEnglish
SubjectHistory of the Roman Empire and fall of the Western Roman Empire
PublisherStrahan & Cadell, London
Publication date
1776–1789
Publication placeEngland
Media typePrint
LC ClassDG311
TextThe History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire at Wikisource

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, sometimes shortened to Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, is a six-volume work by the English historian Edward Gibbon. The six volumes cover, from 98 to 1590, the peak of the Roman Empire, the history of early Christianity and its emergence as the Roman state religion, the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the rise of Genghis Khan and Tamerlane and the fall of Byzantium, as well as discussions on the ruins of Ancient Rome.

Volume I was first published in February 1776 by William Strahan and Thomas Cadell. It was reissued in a succession of six revised editions between 1776 and 1789. Volumes II and III appeared in 1781, and the final three volumes (IV–VI) were issued together in 1788. All six volumes of the first edition were published in quarto; later octavo reprints followed from 1783 onward.

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