Biography:
Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) was made famous by his multi-volume work The History of
the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, written between, 1776 and 1787. For
quite a long time it was the standard history on the Roman civilization and continues
to be used and read to this day. Despite such a contribution to the field of historiography,
Gibbon's opinion about history always remained cynical:
History is little more than the register of the crimes, follies and misfortunes of mankind.
Gibbon's prose style is rather elaborate and ornate, something which makes it difficult for many readers to get through his books. Indeed, some have condemned his writing as atrocious, but you can judge for yourself from this, the opening paragraph:
In the second century of the Christian Aera, the empire of Rome comprehended the fairest part of the earth, and the most civilized portion of mankind. The frontiers of that extensive monarchy were guarded by ancient renown and disciplined valor. The gentle but powerful influence of laws and manners had gradually cemented the union of the provinces. Their peaceful inhabitants enjoyed and abused the advantages of wealth and luxury. The image of a free constitution was preserved with decent reverence: the Roman senate appeared to possess the sovereign authority, and devolved on the emperors all the executive powers of government. During a happy period of more than fourscore years, the public administration was conducted by the virtue and abilities of Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, and the two Antonines. It is the design of this, and of the two succeeding chapters, to describe the prosperous condition of their empire; and afterwards, from the death of Marcus Antoninus, to deduce the most important circumstances of its decline and fall; a revolution which will ever be remembered, and is still felt by the nations of the earth.
Gibbon is also unusual in that the footnotes play such an important role in his work. Certainly, any scholarly book will have important information and references contained in footnotes, but Gibbon's Decline and Fall contains nearly eight thousand of them. Any edition which does not include them is seriously abridged, all the more so because Gibbon tended to put the ruder and more scandalous stories there, where people wouldn't notice them immediately.
Gibbon was also rather cynical and skeptical regarding traditional religious beliefs and, as a result, criticisms of Christianity appear through his books - something which angered the more pious readers of his day.
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