Edward Gibbon

1737–1794

British historian whose history The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire examined Rome’s collapse using primary sources Show bio

Bio

Edward Gibbon lost his mother at nine and learned to love books through his aunt. He read Roman history extensively as a boy.

Gibbon visited Rome in 1764 and later said its ruins inspired his history. He began writing in earnest by 1773. Gibbon published The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire in six volumes.

He used primary sources and criticized organized religion in the work. Gibbon turned the Roman history he read as a boy into a commercial success.

Book by Edward Gibbon

  1. Memoirs of My Life and Writings
    1796

    This autobiography traces Gibbon's education and the making of his history of the Roman Empire. He recalls hearing friars sing among Rome's ruins when the idea for his history first came to him.

    3h 47m reading time