These selected chapters provide an overview of Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, curated by Mortimer Adler in his Great Books of the Western World volume on Gibbon.
Published in the late 18th century, Gibbon provides a comprehensive and influential historical work that covers the history of Rome from the height of the empire to its eventual collapse in the West. Examining the causes of the empire's decline is the point of the work, attributing it to a combination of internal weaknesses—such as political corruption, economic troubles, and military overreach—and external pressures, including invasions by barbarian tribes. The work is significant for its scholarly depth and narrative style, setting a standard for historical writing and influencing subsequent interpretations of the fall of Rome. Gibbon’s exploration of the empire’s decline has shaped historical discourse and continues to be a key reference in the study of Roman history and the transitions between ancient and medieval periods.
