Who wrote The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire?
Q: Who wrote The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire?
A: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire was written by 18th century English historian Edward Gibbon.
Q: How many volumes does the book consist of?
A: The book consists of six volumes, from volume I in 1776 to volumes IV, V, VI in 1788–89.
Q: What time period does the book cover?
A: The work covers the history of the Roman Empire, Europe, and the Catholic Church from 98 to 1590 AD.
Q: What is discussed in the book?
A: The book discusses the decline of the Roman Empire in the East and its fall in the West.
Q: What is unique about Gibbon's methodology?
A: Gibbon's methodology was relatively objective and heavily used primary sources which made it a model for later historians. This led to him being called "the first modern historian of ancient Rome".
Q: Why is this work considered important?
A: This work is considered important because it traces Western civilization as a whole from late first century AD to 1590 AD and provides insight into how civilizations rise and fall over time.