The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
by Edward Gibbon
This wiki includes a collection of quotations from the History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Edward Gibbon's work is superbly written and obviously apropos to life (and, alas, world events) today. See http://www.his.com/~z/gibbon.html for a one-page version of The "Best" of Gibbon's Decline and Fall. See Gibbon - Thoughts Upon Reading for further commentary. See http://www.his.com/~z/passage.html for the late Eugene Ho's set of favorite excerpts. See the Abacci Books Edward Gibbon page [1 for links to this and other free Gibbonic web sites.
The Extent and Military Force of the Empire in the Age of the Antonines
- Overview and introduction to the themes of this book
- Thirst of fame and military glory as a vice
- Patriotism, and its decay and replacement by honor and religion
- Patient diligence as the fruit of habit and discipline
Of the Union and Internal Prosperity of the Roman Empire, in the Age of the Antonines
- Religion, as viewed by the people, the philosopher, and the magistrate
- Powers of sovereignty, abused and lost if committed to an unwieldy multitude
- Hope, the best comfort of our imperfect condition, and slavery in Rome
- Roman monuments, erected at private expense for public benefit
- Beneficial consequences of the power of the Empire
- Agriculture, the foundation of manufactures; the value of luxury
- Latent causes of decay and corruption, in the long peace of the Empire
Of the Constitution of the Roman Empire, in the Age of the Antonines (96 - 180 A.D.)
- Influence of the clergy seldom on the side of the people; balance of power needed to preserve a free constitution
- Role of the tribunes, to oppose abuse of state power
- Imperial government, an absolute monarchy disguised as a commonwealth
- Mankind governed by names, willing to submit to slavery if assured that it is freedom
- Two Antonines; reigns the only period of history in which the happiness of a great people was the sole object of government
- History, register of crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind
- Virtue of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus; Stoicism, and indifference to things external
- Most happy and prosperous period in the history of the world
The Cruelty, Follies, and Murder of Commodus — Election of Pertinax — His Attempts to reform the State — His Assassination by the Praetorian Guards (180 - 193 A.D.)
- Power of instruction, seldom of much efficacy
- Betrayals and dishonesty of Severus
Chapter 5
Public Sale of the Empire to Didius Julianus by the Praetorian Guards — Clodius Albanus in Britain, Pescennius Niger in Syria, and Septimus Severus in Pannonia, declare against the Murderers of Pertinax — Civil Wars and Victory of Severus over his three Rivals — Relaxation of Discipline — New Maxims of Government (193 - 197 A.D.)
Chapter 6
The Death of Severus — Tyranny of Caracalla — Usurpation of Macrinus — Follies of Elagabalus — Virtues of Alexander Severus — Licentiousness of the Army — General State of the Roman Finances (208 - 235 A.D.)
The Elevation and Tyranny of Maximin — Rebellion in Africa and Italy, under the Authority of the Senate — Civil Wars and Seditions — Violent Deaths of Maximin and his Son, of Maximus and Balbinus, and of the three Gordians — Usurpation and secular Games of Philip (235 - 248 A.D.)
- Hereditary monarchy, form of government presenting the fairest scope for ridicule
- Emperor Gordian II and his activities
Chapter 8
Of the State of Persia after the Restoration of the Monarchy by Artaxerxes (165 - 240 A.D.)
The State of Germany till the Invasion of the Barbarians, in the time of the Emperor Decius
- Difficulties of writing about a familiar subject
- Literacy as difference between civilised people and herd of savages; importance of writing to nobler faculties of the mind
- Money, analogous to letters, expression of our wants and properties; contributor to increasing prosperity
- Possession and enjoyment of property, and civilisation
- Liberty, secured to the Germans by their poverty; desires and possessions as fetters of despotism
- German personal honor and independence; contrast with their carelessness about property
- Chastity and the dangers of its absence; German treatment of women with esteem and confidence
The Emperors Decius, Gallus, Aemilianus, Valerian, and Gallienus — The general Irruption of the Barbarians — The thirty Tyrants (248 - 268 A.D.)
- Freemen; German love of liberty
Reign of Claudius — Defeat of the Goths — Victories, Triumph, and Death of Aurelian (268 - 275 A.D.)
- Revenge profitable, gratitude expensive
Conduct of the Army and Senate after the Death of Aurelian — Reigns of Tacitus, Probus, Carus and his Sons 275 - 285 A.D.)
- Expiration of the Senate of Rome
- Prowess of Proculus in the combats of Venus
The Reign of Diocletian and his Three Associates, Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius — General Re-establishment of Order and Tranquility — The Persian War, Victory, and Triumph — The new Form of Administration — Abdication and Retirement of Diocletian and Maximian (285 - 313 A.D.)
- Commerce and industry as replacements for the study of alchymy in the pursuit of riches
- Rustic but martial ignorance of Roman legions; lack of value for things without practical uses
- Minds long exercised in business seldom converse with themselves
- New Platonists neglect for moral, natural, and mathematical science; focus on verbal disputes of metaphysics
Chapter 14
Troubles after the Abdication of Diocletian — Death of Constantius — Elevation of Constantine and Maxentius — Six Emperors of the same Time — Death of Maximian and Galerius — Victories of Constantine over Maxentius and Licinius — Reunion of the Empire under the Authority of Constantine (305 - 324 A.D.)
The Progress of the Christian Religion, and the Sentiments, Manners, Numbers, and Condition of the Primitive Christians
- Love of pleasure versus love of action, as sources of virtue; united and harmonised to constitute most perfect idea of human nature
- Censures of luxury by the early fathers of the church
- Church opinions on chastity; whimsical laws imposed on the marriage-bed; difficulty of supporting institution of six vestals in ancient Rome
- Human character, return from temporary enthusiasm to natural level
- Punic War between prelates
- Early spread of Christianity among the unfortunate; failure to convert numerous more illustrious persons
- Miracles and innumerable prodigies, and their lack of recognition by sages of Greece and Rome
The Conduct of the Roman Government towards the Christians, from the Reign of Nero to that of Constantine (180 - 313 A.D.)
- Lack of sympathy for motives of enemies by members of persecuted religion
- History's duty, to record transactions of past for instruction of future ages
Foundation of Constantinople — Political System of Constantine and his Successors — Military Discipline — The Palace — The Finances (300 - 500 A.D.)
- Request for patience on the part of readers who seek descriptions of battles or court intrigues
- Manly pride of the Romans and lack of ceremonies of ostentatious greatness; corruption of manners under despotism of later emperors
Chapter 18
Character of Constantine — Gothic War — Death of Constantine — Division of the Empire among his three sons — Persian War — Tragic Deaths of Constantine the Younger and Constans — Usurpation of Magnentius — Civil War — Victory of Constantius (342 - 353 A.D.)
Constantius sole Emperor — Elevation and Death of Gallus — Danger and Elevation of Julian — Sarmatian and Persian Wars — Victories of Julian in Gaul (351 - 360 A.D.)
- Julian as philosopher and soldier; love of virtue, habits of temperance, essential in camp
The Motives, Progress, and Effects of the Conversion of Constantine — Legal Establishment and Constitution of the Christian or Catholic Church (306 - 438 A.D.)
- Repetition of miracles versus reason
- Fiction and fraud in descriptions of miracles and omens
- Mysteries of the Christian faith revealed to Constantine
- Constantine's charity without merit, contributions to church from wealth of the republic
Persecution of Heresy — The Schism of the Donatists — The Arian Controversy — Athanasius — Distracted State of the Church and Empire under Constantine and his Sons — Toleration of Paganism (312 - 362 A.D.)
- Constantine's support for the early Church
- Plato and the nature of the deity
- Obstinacy and dogmatic confidence
- Need for caution in persecution of Athanasius
- Corruption and liberty
- Adventures of Athanasius
- Extraordinary frenzy of the Donatists
Julian is declared Emperor by the Legions of Gaul — His March and Success — The Death of Constantius — Civil Administration of Julian (360 - 361 A.D.)
- Julian, hated and feared by Constantius
- Julian's philosophy of life
- Julian and freedom
- Modesty of Julian
- Personal merit of Julian
The Religion of Julian — Universal Toleration — He attempts to restore and reform the Pagan Worship — To rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem — His Artful Persecution of the Christians — Mutual Zeal and Injustice (351 - 363 A.D.)
- Julian and the failure of violence
- Julian's edict of toleration
- Common calamity of old age
Residence of Julian at Antioch; his successful expedition against the Persians; passage of the Tigris; the retreat and death of Julian; election of Jovian; he saves the Roman army by a disgraceful peace treaty (314-390 A.D.)
- Luxury and Corruption of Antioch
- Lesson from Libanius, the Syrian sophist
- Julian's Destruction of Persian Palaces
- Burial of Julian; Competition of Philosophers & Soldiers
The government and death of Jovian; election of Valentinian, who associates his brother Valens, and makes the final division of the Eastern and Western Empires; revolt of Procopius; civil and ecclesiastical administration; Germany; Britain; Africa; the East; the Danube; death of Valentinian; his two sons, Gratian and Valentinian II., succeeded to the Western Empire (343-384 A.D.)
- Victory of Christianity under Jovian
- Usurpation of Procopius
- Characters of Valens and Valentinian
- Philosophy against Fanaticism
- Assassination as Sign of Weakness of Rome
- Savage Caledonians and Hope for Human Improvement
- Slavery, Guilt of Europe and Weakness of Africa
Manners of the Pastoral Nations; Progress of the Huns from China to Europe; Flight of the Goths; Defeat and Death of Valens; Gratian invests Theodosius with the Eastern Empire; Peace and Settlement of the Goths (365-395 A.D.)
- Calamities of War and Nature
- Meat-eating and Cruelty
- Horses and Their Uses
- Zingis (Genghis) Khan
- Features of the Alani
- Dilatory and Ambiguous Measures
- Narratives of Misfortunes
- Animals and Man
- Public Safety, Humanity, and Justice
- Rise of Theodosius
- Overturning the Fabric of a State
Death of Gratian; Ruin of Arianism; St. Ambrose; First Civil War, against Maximus; Character, Administration, and Penance of Theodosius; Death of Valentinian II; Second Civil War, against Eugenius; Death of Theodosius (340-397 A.D.)
- Constantinople, Arianism, and Popular Theology
- Virtues of Theodosius
- Luxury of Romans under Theodosius
Final Destruction of Paganism; Introduction of the Worship of Saints and Relics among the Christians (378-420 A.D.).
- Destruction of Temples
- Gold and Blood
- Library of Alexandria
- Vulgar Rites and Ceremonies
Final Division of the Roman Empire between the Sons of Theodosius; Reign of Arcadius and Honorius; Administration of Rufinus and Stilicho; Revolt and Defeat of Gildo in Africa (386-398 A.D.)
- Bread versus Liberty and Greatness
Revolt of the Goths; They plunder Greece; Two great Invasions of Italy by Alaric and Radagaisus; They are repulsed by Stilicho; The Germans overrun Gaul; Usurpation of Constantine in the West; Disgrace and Death of Stilicho (395-408 A.D.)
- Advice to the Emperor
- Envy and Calumny
- Defence of Italy against the Germans
- Fall of the Roman Empire beyond the Alps
- Peace, Plenty, and Safety
- Revival of the Senate
- Claudian the Poet
Invasion of Italy by Alaric; Rome is thrice besieged, and at length pillaged, by the Goths; death of Alaric; The Goths evacuate Italy; Fall of Constantine; Gaul and Spain occupied by the Barbarians; Independence of Britain (408-449 A.D.)
- Weak and Distracted Government
- Comforts and Conveniences of Life
- Plebeians of Rome
- Fall of the City of Rome, after 1,163 Years
- Amorous Outrages and Avarice
- Present Times, and Exaggeration
- Recovery of Rome from Gothic Invasion
- Advantages and Burthens of Political Society
- Liberty and Representative Government
Arcadius Emperor of the East; Administration and Disgrace of Eutropius; Revolt of Gainas; persecution of St. John Chrysostom; Theodosius II Emperor of the East; The Persian War, and Division of Armenia (395-1453 A.D.)
- Division of the Empire
- Enemies of Chrysostom, Provoked and United
- Charity of Bishop Acacius of Amida
Death of Honorius; Valentinian III Emperor of the West; Administration of his Mother Placidia; Aetius and Boniface; Conquest of Africa by the Vandals (423-455 A.D.)
- Exaggeration of the Destructive Rage of the Vandals
- Roman Empire Dissolved
The Character, Conquests, and Court of Attila, King of the Huns; Death of Theodosius the Younger; Elevation of Marcian to the Empire of the East (376-453 A.D.)
- Laws of War
Invasion of Gaul by Attila; He is repulsed by Aetius and the Visigoths; Attila invades and evacuates Italy; the Deaths of Attila, Aetius, and Valentinian the Third (419-455 A.D.)
- Loves of the Princess Honoria
- Prophecy of the Downfall Realized
- Rome and its Loss of Freedom, Virtue, and Honour
Sack of Rome by Genseric; His naval Depredations; Succession of the last Emperors of the West, Maximus, Avitus, Majorian, Severus, Anthemius, Olybrius, Glycerius, Nepos, Augustulus; Total Extinction of the Western Empire; Reign of Odoacer, the first Barbarian King of Italy (439-490 A.D.)
- Private Life of Petronius Maximus
Plan of the Last Two [Quarto] Volumes; Succession and Characters of the Greek Emperors of Constantinople, from the Time of Heraclius to the Latin Conquest (641-1185 A.D.)
- Perspective Provided by the Study of History
- Pure and Genuine Happiness
(correlates: GibbonChapter7, GibbonChapter29, GibbonChapter13, ...)