Summary of History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is a six-volume work written by the 18th-century British scholar Edward Gibbon. It traces the history of the Roman Empire from the 2nd century AD to its fall in the 15th century, detailing the decline of the state and its political, economic, military, and cultural life. The work covers the period from the end of the reign of Marcus Aurelius in the 2nd century to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Along the way, Gibbon examines the rise of Christianity, the barbarian invasions, the fall of the Western Roman Empire, and the establishment of the Byzantine Empire. In addition to detailing the events surrounding the fall of the Empire, Gibbon examines the various causes for its decline, exploring political, economic, and cultural factors. The work is widely regarded as one of the first serious works of the modern era to consider the full breadth of events within history.