The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

A charming edition of Gibbon's epic history of the Fall of the Roman Empire, including the histories of the Byzantine and Holy Roman Empires. A charming edition of Gibbon's epic History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, in which all ancient chroniclers Gibbon's reference have been verified by other historians. Includes notes by Dean Milman, M. Guizot and additions from William Smith. Complete in eight volumes. Publised in 1887, first published in 1776. In later half calf. Contains marble end papers with bookplates to the front pastedowns of each volume. Original blanks preserved. Edward Gibbon's History of the Roman Empire is among the most famous historical texts produced, a brilliantly ambitious work which confronts questions of why the Western Roman Empire fell. Gibbon then traces the history of its Medieval successors, including the Papacy, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Byzantine Empire. - Volume I: Includes the edition prefaces, the Age of the Antonines, the tyranny of Caracalla and the rise of the Alemanni. Contains a frontispiece of Gibbon by Reynolds, and folding maps of the Eastern and Western Roman Empire to the rear. Collated complete.- Volume II: Includes the reign of Diocletian, the Persian Wars and the rise of Constantinople. Contains a handcoloured folding map frontispiece of Barbarian migrations, and two maps to the rear. Collated complete.- Volume III: Includes the Conversion of Constantine, the Wars of Julian and the Battle of Adrianople. Contains a folding map frontispiece of Julian and Heraclius's marches. Collated complete.- Volume IV: Includes the Invasion of Alaric, Atilla, and the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Contains a folding map of the Europe at the end of the 5th century. Collated complete.- Volume V: Includes the Reign of Justinian, the rise of the Lombards, and the decline of Persia. Contains a folding map frontispiece, and a map of the Byzantine Empire to the rear. Collated complete.- Volume VI: Includes the Christianity in the East, Charlemagne, and the rise of the Arabs. Contains a handcoloured folding map frontispiece, and a folding map to the rear. Collated complete.- Volume VII: Includes the Battle of Manzikert, the Crusades, and the Sack of Constantinople. Contains a folding map frontispiece of the Crusades. Collated complete.- Volume VIII: Includes the arrival of the Mongols, the late Medieval Papacy and the fall of Constantinople. Contains a folding frontispiece map and a folding map of Rome environs to the rear. Collated complete. In later half calf. Contains marble end papers with bookplates to the front pastedowns of each volume. Original blanks preserved. Externally, smart, with the odd spot and faint rubbing mark to calf. A couple of spots to cloth boards of I and VIII. Spotting to fore-edges. Minimal edgewear. End papers are bright and clean with minor browning to bookplates. Internally, firmly bound. A small crease to fold of VII folding map frontispiece. Pages are bright and clean, with slight spotting to edges of first and final leaves, a little heavier to VIII. Near Fine.…