The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

Edward Gibbon's six-volume The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is a classic in the truest sense of the word. The first volume of this monumental work was published in 1776, with the remaining volumes following over the next 12 years, but Gibbon actually spent 26 years working on Decline and Fall. Gibbon's careful scholarship and exhaustive research have survived the test of time remarkably well. Modern historians frequently cite Gibbon's work as a primary source of information and scholarship for this important period of history.

You've probably heard or read a summary of the reasons Gibbon gives for the decline and fall of Rome (this one is from the Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations ):

1. The rapid increase of divorce; the undermining of dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis of human society. 
2. Higher and higher taxes and the spending of public money for free bread and circuses for the populace. 
3. The mad craze for pleasure; sports becoming every year more exciting and more brutal. 
4. The building of gigantic armaments when the real enemy was within: the decadence of the people. 
5. The decay of religion—faith fading into mere form—losing touch with life and becoming impotent to guide the people.

Many preachers and teachers over the years have drawn parallels between Rome and various modern societies, gleaning lessons from the great empire's fall and warning us that we may share the same fate. Take this opportunity to purchase Gibbon's magnum opus and read for yourself the how and why of Rome's destruction!