Customer Reviews

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Modern Library Classics)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is an excellent abridged edition of Edward Gibbon's classic "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" and it makes both a perfect introduction for those just getting into Gibbon and a useful portable copy for people who have the entire set. This abridgement includes much of Gibbon's coverage of the decline and fall of the western empire and some interesting chapters and excerpts from the remainder of the work, ideal for the general reader. Most of Gibbon's history still stands up after 200 years (and footnotes point out where it doesn't), and it is written in an absolutely gorgeous English style. Anyone interested in Rome owes it to themselves to read Gibbon, and this is a good place to get your feet wet.

How did Gibbon do it?! This book is so good and so rich on so many levels, and the centuries have not made it any less a terrific read than it must have been when first published. There are so many reasons to read it -- I'll choose one. If you want to understand human nature in something approaching all it's depth and complexity, you can do no better than to read Gibbon's tales of what happens when a long succession of very different characters attain total dominion over the entire civilized world. The incredible variety of comedy, calamity and infamy is unmatched even in Greek Myths or the Bible, and to my mind, at least, the story telling is better.

While the text is exhaustive and interesting, the language and phraseology can be difficult for the modern reader. This work was written over 230 years ago and can be challenging at times. The vocabulary can leave you lost and wondering if you are missing something. But Gibbon is a gifted story teller which keeps the book interesting and brings to life numerous ancient characters. This is not a book for the faint of heart, but it is a MUST for anyone seriously interested in Roman history. If you can handle the antiquated style, the book will be a pleasure to read.

It's a literary work of art. Gibbon's style of narration is breathtaking. On every page he comes out as the true scholar that he really is. His choice of words and his style of sentence construction is consummate on every level.

Other than that, the whole account is Gibbon's perspective of the Roman Empire on a strict level. While most will concur with him on the insanity of the likes of say, Caligula, Nero; or the politically cunning inclinations of Augustus, his treatment of Christianity is open to debate. Gibbon places Christianity at the top in his list of the factors that could possibly have accelerated the empire towards decadence and its ultimate disintegration. Though this can be true on some accounts, he offers no clear explanation on how the Eastern empire could have carried on for more centuries with the religion at its very centre. It's an unwritten edict that the Byzantines were more passionate about Jesus than Western christendom.

Also, in some pages, Gibbon argues that the Roman emperors, say Marcus Aurelius for example, never really would have had an inclination towards persecuting christians on grounds of political gains. For Gibbon argues that the political elite of Rome were well aware of the fact that some kind of religion maintained social order. But his arguments are at considerable, if not complete, loggerheads with the several accounts from other historians that Rome continued to persecute Christianity until Constantine.

Persecution of Christianity might necessarily not have completely been primary disdain for the christian concept which totally conflicts with the Roman edicts of deifying dead emperors. Christianity came in handy for rogue emperors to have this sect of minorities scapegoated for their own excesses (remember Nero's fire?) or to appease the minds of a disgruntled majority which preferred to suspect them.

Finally, his stand that the "whole" empire prospered and preferred Roman rule in the age of the five good emperors is open to debate. Pax Romana might have worked for the Italian mainland at best, but not necessarily in provinces even as close as, say, Gaul.

I have only read about 25% of this book since it is a very large one (over 1000 pages), but I can say The Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon is one of the best history books I have ever read.
Thought english is not my native language, the book is, with a few exceptions, very easy to read. It is loaded with a lot of history since it covers over 1000 years, but this fact does not give you a headache if your not into learning everything in it.
The book covers the history of the Roman Empire from the 1st century A.D. to the final collaps of it in the 11th century. What I like about Gibbon's writing style is that he follows every emperor's reign and (not going into very much details) explains the ups and (mainly) downs of this great empire.
That is why I wormly recommand this book to any history lover and specially to the ones interested in the reasons of the great fall of The Roman Empire.

Edit: I have read over 80% of time and I can say I am truly impressed. From all the theories of why the Roman Empire fell, Gibbon's ones are the most respected. Some argue he is a "paganist" writer since he thinks christianity is the main reason for the fall of the Roman Empire (maybe that's why I like the book so much... I totaly agree with his opinion). If you are interested in the fall of the Roman Empire this book is a must and should come first before any other book on this subject.

This abridged version of Gibbon's history is the most enjoyable one I have read. The book consists mostly of the first half of the original, but also has some of the popular chapters of the latter half. However what delighted me most was that when a paragraph(s) or chapter(s) was omitted, there was a footnote which gave a quick synopsis on what you missed. I suggest this book to anyone that has an adequate reading level and an intrest in Rome. When you finish you'll find yourself more literate and extremly knowledgeable in the history of Rome.

Gibbon must be taken in the context of his time - his writing style, his prejudices, and his occasional lapse into sermonizing. His style is to say in 30-words what others would say in less than 10. His prejudices are many but one that seems to permeate most is the over-emphasis on the western empire at the expense of the east. It is as if the eastern empire did not survive another millennia after the fall of the west. But given difficult reading and language constructs and the slanted views, a greater work on the subject of the western empire probably does not exist. It is an essential though somewhat distasteful standard for anyone interested in Roman history. As yet, there is nothing comparable in scope for the western empire. For a balanced and more readable coverage of the east, I would highly recommend supplementing with the works of John Julius Norwich such as the three part history beginning with Byzantium: The Early Centuries. In addition, it would be good to supplement your study with Caesar and Christ: A History of Roman Civilization and of Christianity from Their Beginnings to A.D. 325 (Story of Civilization, No 3).

Dero A. Saunders abridged edition of the "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" enhances the already elucidating and comprehensive full volume set sketched by Gibbon, and adds a precise tone to make this edition a quick and fulfilling read. At proscribed intervals throughout this work, Saunders summarizes portions of Gibbon's original volume, and successfully renders a "magnum opus" accessible for busy students and readers in general. The latter half of Gibbon's original work - after the sack of Rome - is composed of excerpts deemed necessary for a better understanding of the Empire's condition after the fall; and consists of: the age of Justinian, the rise of Islam, the fall of Constantinople, the ruins of Rome, and Gibbon's conclusion to the work as a whole. The breadth of this work brims with irony and a captivating charm that pervasively treats the vicissitudes of the Roman Empire with a witty candor. This is a timeless classic and a must have for anyone intersted in late Roman and Christian antiquity. It took a bit of courage on my part to give this excellent book four stars, but a few things must be considered. First of all, Gibbon wrote this history through a reformation lense and shamelessly exhibits his sentiments towards a history that was strictly catholic. Constantine is looked at with disregard and even indiffernce, while latter Julian the Apostate - the enemy of Christianity - is praised for his intelligence and valor. Hardly something I would expect from a christian historian. Also, as I said earlier, this edition is made accessible for busy students and readers; not historians and scholars. So for those who wish for a more in-depth and comprehensive approach to Gibbon's work, I would suggest the whole set. But for anyone who wishes to find a precise edition with all the essentials, undoubtedly Dero A. Saunders is the best.

For the history buff, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is probably one of the greatest written work. Published as an anthology during the late 1700's, the sum total comes to several thousand pages. Alas, this is too long for the modern reader so numerous editors & publishers have generated abridged versions that cater to different readers. This version was published in the 1960's, and focuses on the Western Roman Empire in the period from Augustus Caeser to the mid 1st millenium.

The book's text unfolds in chronological order, and tells the history in a top-down fashion; events unfold as the consequences of actions by men in important positions, such as generals, emperors and senators. Hence, this book is a great example of the Big-Men version of history. There is little mention of economics, migration patterns, demographic changes, resource consumption, and anything else that can be measured using statistics.

Being published in the 1960s, the text of the book is somewhat awkward, though it is still highly readable. The vocabulary is simple enough, and the author/editor has left out all mention of Latin, and kept quotes to a minimum. Therefore, the book should be readable by any US high school graduate. The chapters themselves are short, about 10 - 15 pages each, making them digestible in 30-minute chunks. All told, a great book and great history.

At long last I have tackled one of the great achievements of the English language, and I am glad that I dedicated the time and effort to do so. I have no regrets about investing in the unabridged version, anymore than I would want to watch a two-hour TV program that hacks and condenses and combines the first two Godfather movies into a bowdlerized shell of its former self. Some works must be enjoyed in their entirety, as they were originally created, and this is one of them. Not that I should be comparing one of the crowning achievements of Western culture to a few hours of celluloid produced in Hollywood - that's like comparing Mozart to say, the Beatles - but it was just to make a point. Read the unabridged version, or don't read it all. (And BTW, no knock on the Beatles, who were great, but comparing them to Mozart? I don't think so...)

I suppose the first thing I should point out to potential buyers is to make sure that you buy the complete set of books. Gibbon's magnum opus has been published in so many different ways - I've seen the unabridged version in anywhere from three to seven volumes - that you need to be careful. This version has all of Gibbon's footnotes, which serve two purposes. First - you can get additional insight (and sometimes witty/snarky asides) to the narrative, and second - you get to see just how authoritative and reputable a source Gibbon is - he completely and fully researched all available writings and histories - ancient, medieval, and contemporary - in preparing his text. This work is one of the gold standard sources for historical information - if Gibbon reports an incident or fact in this work - you can bet good money that it is probably true.

The language is majestic, the style fluid and articulate. I think you need to have some prior knowledge of Roman and medieval history before delving into this modest little tome, and it is useful to have another good history book handy to check dates, as Gibbon is not good about telling you what year or years he is discussing as he proceeds through chapters that, at times, span centuries. Perhaps, in his day, people were more educated, and it was okay for him to assume that his reader would know what time frame he was talking about when he mentioned an obscure Greek Emperor. For my part, I kept copies of Volumes III and IV of Will Durant's "Story of Civilization" handy as I worked my way through the different volumes (over the course of nearly a year), and that helped me better grasp the material. I think what sets this book apart is the obvious wisdom and intelligence that is communicated "between the lines" and which shines through virtually every page. Gibbon seems to patiently explain why the events he describes were still relevant in his day, when the British Empire was approaching its zenith; and that of course is why the book remains relevant today - as the American "Empire" perhaps begins its inevitable decline, like all great powers must do, sooner or later.

The best way I can summarize how impressed I was with this work is to say that I may well have to read it again someday before I die - this book is that extraordinary, and that worth the time invested. Read and ponder this book, and you will begin to understand history like never before.