First great history of Rome's fall. A beautiful six-volume set of this classic work. Gibbon's (1737-1794) History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire ranks as a 'masterpiece of historical penetration and literary style and has remained one of the ageless historical works which... maintain their hold upon the layman and continue to stimulate the scholar' (PMM).

Spanning a period of nearly 1500 years, this monumental work of history tracks the orbit of one of the greatest Empires of all time. The sheer scale and sweep of the narrative is breathtaking in its ambitious scope and brings to vivid life the collapse of a magnificent military, political and administrative structure. Gibbon argues that Rome's fall was the 'natural and inevitable effect of immoderate greatness. Prosperity ripened the principle of decay; the causes of destruction multiplied with the extent of conquest; and as soon as time or accident had removed the artificial supports, the stupendous fabric yielded to the pressure of its own weight'. As a result, Rome's hollow empire succumbed easily to the twin forces of barbarianism and Christianity which had been growing in momentum over the course of the fourth century AD.

Controversial from its first appearance, Gibbon was attacked by many as a 'paganist', and the Catholic Church placed Decline and Fall on their list of banned books, the Index Librorum Prohibitorum in 1783, where it remained up until the Index was abolished in 1966 by Pope Paul VI. Yet his work also received many positive reviews and has since become a cornerstone text in the study of Western history. Writing to Gibbon in December 1788, his friend Adam Smith noted that 'by the universal assent of every man of taste and learning... [Decline and Fall] sets you at the very head of the whole literary tribe at present existing in Europe' (ODNB).

With three maps (2 folding) showing the extent of the Roman Empire, and an engraved frontispiece of Gibbon after Sir Joshua Reynold's acclaimed portrait.

Six volumes; 4to.; first edition of volumes 4-6, new edition of volumes 1-3, engraved frontispiece portrait by Hall after Reynolds, 3 maps (2 folding), half titles to volumes 2-6, errata leaf in volume 6, small water stain to lower blank margin of volume 1, a few spots to endpapers, otherwise exceptionally clean internally; contemporary diced russia gilt, volume 6 unnumbered (assume quirky binder's error), minor restoration to spine, natural age-wear making a very handsome set.

ESTC T78359; PMM 222.