18c 18th-century 19th-century ancient ancient-history ancient-rome antiquity british byzantine christianity church-history classic classic-literature classical classical-history classics english english-literature enlightenment europe european-history fall fiction folio great-books historical history italy late-antiquity latin literature medieval non-fiction nonfiction ref religion roman roman-empire roman-history romans rome sociology victorian war world-history

Gripping, powerfully intelligent, and wonderfully entertaining, Gibbon's classic account of Rome ranks as one of the literary masterpieces of its age. Attacked for its enlightened views on politics, sexuality, and religion, the first volume was nonetheless found on every table and received widespread acclaim for its elegant prose. Famously skeptical about Christianity, unexpectedly sympathetic to the barbarian invaders and the Byzantine Empire, constantly aware of how political leaders often achieve the exact opposite of what they intend, Gibbon captured both the broad pattern of events and the significant revealing detail. This abridged edition compresses thirteen turbulent centuries into a single epic narrative, and features a foreword, introduction, and extended appreciation by Hugh Trevor-Roper, an esteemed professor of history at Oxford University.