EDITED WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND APPENDICES BY DAVID WOMERSLEY Although it covers no less than thirteen centuries of history, writes David Womersley, Gibbon's Decline and Fall 'is never routine, always alert with humanity and intelligence, often surprising in its sympathies'. It counts, quite simply, as 'one of the greatest narratives in European literature'. This definitive three-volume edition presents a complete and unmodernized text, the author's own comments and notes, and his famous Vindication. The first volume considers the extent and constitution of the empire under the Antonines and then takes events down to the end of the fourth century. It includes the controversial chapters on the early Church and examines in detail the reign of the first Christian and last pagan emperors, Constantine and Julian.

Acknowledgments. . List of Maps and Illustrations. . Introduction. . Critical Foreword. . The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. . Preface of the Author. 3. 1. The Extent of the Empire in the Age of the Antonines. 11. 2. Of the Internal Prosperity of the Roman Empire in the Age of the Antonines. 19. 3. The Constitution in the Age of the Antonines. 38. 4. The Cruelty, Follies, and Murder of Commodus. 58. 5. Sale of the Empire to Didius Julianus. 70. 6. Death of Severus, Tyranny of Caracalla, Usurpation of Macrinus. 83. 7. Tyranny of Maximin, Rebellion, Civil Wars, Death of Maximin. 104. 8. State of Persia and Restoration of the Monarchy. 125. 9. State of Germany Until the Barbarians. 133. 10. Emperors Decius, Gallus, Aemilianus, Valerian, and Gallienus. 143. 11. Reign of Claudius, Defeat of the Goths. 164. 12. Reigns of Tacitus, Probus, Carus, and His Sons. 179. 13. Reign of Diocletian and His Three Associates. 195. 14. Six Emperors at the Same Time, Reunion of the Empire. 213. 15. Progress of the Christian Religion. 237. 16. Conduct Towards the Christians, from Nero to Constantine. 276. 17. Foundation of Constantinople. 317. 18. Character of Constantine and His Sons. 344. 19. Constantius Sole Emperor. 359. 20. Conversion of Constantine. 376. 21. Persecution of Heresy, State of the Church. 401. 22. Julian Declared Emperor. 425. 23. Reign of Julian. 436. 24. The Retreat and Death of Julian. 454. 25. Reigns of Jovian and Valentinian, Division of the Empire. 466. 26. Progress of the Huns. 490. 27. Civil Wars, Reign of Theodosius. 509. 28. Destruction of Paganism. 522. 29. Division of Roman Empire Between Sons of Theodosius. 540. 30. Revolt of the Goths. 546. 31. Invasion of Italy, Occupation of Territories by Barbarians. 563. 32. Emperors Arcadius, Eutropius, Theodosius II. 578. 33. Conquest of Africa by the Vandals. 594. 34. Attila. 604. 35. Invasion by Attila. 610. 36. Total Extinction of the Western Empire. 620. 37. Conversion of the Barbarians to Christianity. 643. 38. Reign of Clovis. 659. 39. Gothic Kingdom of Italy. 691. 40. Reign of Justinian. 699. 41. Conquests of Justinian, Character of Belisarius. 725. 42. State of the Barbaric World. 736. 43. Last Victory and Death of Belisarius, Death of Justinian. 747. 44. Idea of the Roman Jurisprudence. 762. 45. State of Italy Under the Lombards. 788. 46. Troubles in Persia. 800. 47. Ecclesiastical Discord. 815. 48. Succession and Characters of the Greek Emperors. 855. 49. Conquest of Italy by the Franks. 869. 50. Description of Arabia and Its Inhabitants. 893. 51. Conquests by the Arabs. 944. 52. More Conquests by the Arabs. 961. 53. Fate of the Eastern Empire. 982. 54. Origin and Doctrine of the Paulicians. 1003. 55. The Bulgarians, the Hungarians, and the Russians. 1012. 56. The Saracens, the Franks, and the Normans. 1020. 57. The Turks. 1029. 58. The First Crusade. 1047. 59. The Crusades. 1075. 60. The Fourth Crusade. 1094. 61. Partition of the Empire by the French and Venetians. 1104. 62. Greek Emperors of Nice and Constantinople. 1108. 63. Civil Wars and the Ruin of the Greek Empire. 1123. 64. Moguls, Ottoman Turks. 1136. 65. Timour or Tamerlane. 1153. 66. Union of the Greek and Latin Churches. 1169. 67. Schism of the Greeks and Latins. 1187. 68. Reign of Mohammed the Second, Extinction of Eastern Empire. 1197. 69. State of Rome from the Twelfth Century. 1219. 70. Final Settlement of the Ecclesiastical State. 1232. 71. Prospect of the Ruins of Rome in the Fifteenth Century. 1243. Table of Roman Emperors. 1253. A Note on the Illustrations. 1259