Edward Gibbon wrote one of the great works of history, and it is still a pleasure to read. His elegant, ironic prose covers more than a thousand years. It runs from the age of the Antonines to the fall of Constantinople. His treatment of early Christianity caused outrage in his own day. Modern historians question many of his conclusions. Yet his scale, wit and storytelling set a standard few have matched.
Key Milestones
1764: Conceives his history while visiting Rome
1774: Enters Parliament
1776: Publishes the first volume of Decline and Fall
1788: Publishes the final volumes
Edward Gibbon (8 May 1737 – 16 January 1794) was a British essayist, historian and politician. His most important and influential work, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1789, to critical and commercial success.
Edward Gibbon's birthday is April 27. He was born on April 27, 1737 in Putney, United Kingdom.
How old was Edward Gibbon when he died?
Edward Gibbon died on January 16, 1794, aged 56.
Who shares a birthday with Edward Gibbon?
Famous people who share Edward Gibbon's April 27 birthday include Ulysses S. Grant, Mary Wollstonecraft, Herbert Spencer, William Alexander of the Netherlands and Samuel Finley Breese Morse.
