Tom Holland writes an authoritative introduction to Gibbon and his masterwork, followed by extracts from "The Decline and Fall" which exemplify Gibbon's genius. This series is intended to attract a new generation of readers to some of the greatest narrative history ever written. Each volume will include substantial extracts from a major work of history prefaced by a major new essay by a modern authority. Attractively designed, the series sets out to demonstrate the extraordinary tradition that exists of great history writing in the English language. The books are aimed at the intelligent general reader as well as students of history at all levels. In this volume is extracted the celebrated chapters 15 and 16 of Gibbon's "Decline and Fall" along with an extract from Gibbon's "Vindication", in which he seeks to defend his interpretation of Christianity. Other titles in the series include: Macauley's "History of England", Introduced by John Burrow; J.A.Froude's "Mary Tudor", Introduced by Eamon Duffy; and, W.H.Prescott's "History of the Conquest of Mexico", Introduced by JH Elliott. "Continuum Histories" will attract a new generation of readers to some of the greatest narrative history ever written. Each volume includes a dramatic episode from a major work of history, prefaced with an introduction by a leading modern authority.