Buy new:
-22% $21.76
FREE delivery Friday, May 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$21.76 with 22 percent savings
List Price: $28.00

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Friday, May 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 19 hrs 13 mins
In Stock
$$21.76 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$21.76
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day easy returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$20.67
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Used book that is clean, average condition without any missing pages. Used book that is clean, average condition without any missing pages. See less
FREE delivery Friday, May 17 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 19 hrs 13 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$21.76 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$21.76
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Edward Gibbon
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. 3 Paperback – August 1, 1996

by Edward Gibbon (Author), David P. Womersley (Introduction)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 50 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$21.76","priceAmount":21.76,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"21","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"76","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"Eu2Du3UejnBsRpG2bL8JP4oYRC2YrQz6Eg7YZuGf9ncQautmADk7OiFDQ1yNZYrHnZvbVD62vUTzxAd0WCki%2BA3Hh3cGmzboQo4Vu6aezVa9wiPnHdQ3ZJ2gF1n12sprCZePA6a6VSE%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$20.67","priceAmount":20.67,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"20","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"67","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"Eu2Du3UejnBsRpG2bL8JP4oYRC2YrQz6G0mA8EHndS%2BHKg26SQYUxko8lVLju%2Bs5AdCmBbgsSJS1zJWY3li%2B2GNqNzxHzSBlGFI5Z%2BaeAWJ6NfaV4Dpi5qQqDNLKj2PbGjjSwPUwcOsacsLcai00Zntcrz5SXPROECNiV8WMcNZ9X2izyG2pTf3xArFoMImh","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Edward Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire compresses thirteen turbulent centuries into an epic narrative shot through with insight, irony and incisive character analysis. Sceptical about Christianity, sympathetic to the barbarian invaders and the Byzantine Empire, constantly aware of how political leaders often achieve the exact opposite of what they intend, Gibbon was both alert to the broad pattern of events and significant revealing details.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    1360 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Penguin Classics
  4. Publication date
    August 1, 1996
  5. Grade level
    12 and up
  6. Reading age
    18 years and up
  7. Dimensions
    7.84 x 5.02 x 2.36 inches
  8. ISBN-10
    0140433953
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0140433951
  10. Lexile measure
    1230L
  11. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now

Frequently bought together

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. 3
$21.76
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. 2
$18.49
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. 1
$19.24
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Edward Gibbon (1737-1794), English historian. It was on a visit to Rome that he conceived the idea of his magnificent and panoramic history The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (6 vol., 1776–88) which won immediate acclaim, despite some harsh criticism. Gibbon himself was assured of the greatness of his work, which is, indeed, one of the most-read historical works of modern times.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Classics; Reprint edition (August 1, 1996)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 1360 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0140433953
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0140433951
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1230L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 12 and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.02 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.84 x 5.02 x 2.36 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 50 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Edward Gibbon

Edward Gibbon

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Edward Gibbon (/ˈɡɪbən/; 8 May 1737 – 16 January 1794) was an English historian and Member of Parliament. His most important work, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1788. The Decline and Fall is known for the quality and irony of its prose, its use of primary sources, and its open criticism of organized religion.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Joshua Reynolds [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
50 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Patrick Shadrick
5.0 out of 5 stars Historical prose at its best.
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2012
Verified Purchase
I am still on volume one, and am astonished by the quality of prose. Keep an open internet connection handy to google words however. Some are antique and not currently in usage. This fellow is among the best writers I have ever read. Clive James, Hitchens, Orwell, Huxley, and any historical writer is in debt to Gibbons.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Michael F. Griswold
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2015
Verified Purchase
No comment
Helpful
 Report
Ahmed El Attar
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2014
Received as described. Thanks.
Helpful
 Report
Aran Joseph Canes
4.0 out of 5 stars Keep on Reading
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2020
Verified Purchase
If you’ve read Volumes I and II of Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire you will already have a good sense of the author’s style and perspective. You probably need little encouragement to read Volume III. So, having completed it, I’ll merely offer a few reflections to anyone dithering on whether to purchase.

What awaits is the story of the rise of Islam and the fall of the Byzantines. Gibbon doesn’t pay a lot of respect to Byzantine culture; a disputatious, superstitious and lackadaisical people according to Gibbon. There is a small contradiction in this as he allows that the Renaissance was sparked by reacquaintance with Greek literature via Byzantine intellectuals. But Gibbon does tend to be more comprehensive than consistent throughout the six books.

My major boon from reading all three volumes was the sense of the continuity of history. One begins with pagan Rome and finishes with the Renaissance Papal States. But in the meantime one sees the rise of tribes and kingdoms until the title “Dark Ages” can now only describe the dearth of learning and no longer a gap in history.

While more contemporary histories of Rome exist, none has ever been as influential as Gibbon. An Enlightenment figure who deserves the same stature as Hume, Smith or Locke, he framed the narrative over a subject that interested the eighteenth century much more than the twenty-first. Recommended to all interested in the thought of the Enlightenment as well as ancient history.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Jason
4.0 out of 5 stars The Murky Dawn of Byzantine Studies
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2017
Verified Purchase
This is a review of the third volume of the Penguin version of Gibbon's work. This volume covers the 5th and 6th books. It also contains Gibbon's response to his critics after the initial publication of the text. The paper is a bit thin, but the text is readable and I like the subdivisions so that I can pace my reading more. The table of contents at the beginning is exhaustive and allows a reader to pinpoint a place, if need be, in the text. I do wish that Penguin could have included maps, given the amount of military history in the text.

Many people have already commented on Gibbon's approach. This volume gives his take on the Eastern Roman or Byzantine empire from Heraclius to Constantine XI. This account is notorious in some circles as Gibbon's text characterizes this empire as weak, formless and not worthy of study. It is interesting to see how a degenerate empire can be in decline for over eight centuries! The text also explores the lands of Arabia and Mongolia as setting for the Arab and Mongol conquests. I cannot say that I agree with all of Gibbon's points. This is most because many texts have been recovered since this book's publication and they give us a better and more nuanced picture of the Byzantine empire and it's neighbours. In the end, Gibbon deserves praise for being the first to formulate the question of Rome's fate. Gibbon's text is a good place to start, but it is not the last word on, in my view, the greatest of stories
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Colleen Grotke
3.0 out of 5 stars Love Gibbon, hate this edition
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2023
I began reading Gibbon for insights into our current political situation. Gibbon's grasp and interpretation is striking. What he says seems to make a lot of sense. But, this Penguin classics paperback edition is ridiculous. I have no problem with Gibbon, but the individual that greenlighted the typesetting of this book in paperback style with tiny font needs to do some serious self assessment. My situation is this: I like to read about a half an hour, in bed, before turning in for the night. The physical dimensions and font size of this edition make this tough to do. The book itself is 5 and 1/16 inch wide and has a height of 7 and 3/4 inchs. It is 2 and 3/16 inches thick, with 1353 double sided pages, so that is something on the order of 675 individual sheets of paper stuffed between the front and back cover. I printed out font size samples and I estimate the font is around 8 to 8.3 in font size. For me, the combination of tiny font and pages that basically cannot be opened fully with ease make this book a challenge to read. I ended up getting a hard cover edition with larger font.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Huaming Yu
4.0 out of 5 stars Good
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2014
Another standard penguin book.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Lisa Blackwood
5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 7, 2021
Verified Purchase
Received, very quickly. thank you.
The back corner of the book was creased.
Other than that, brand new and exactly ok.
Report
Albrecht
5.0 out of 5 stars Ich möchte Sie dafür begeistern!
Reviewed in Germany on July 16, 2015
Verified Purchase
Mit dieser Rezension möchte ich Sie für dieses epische Werk begeistern, ob auf Englisch oder auf Deutsch.
Gleich am Anfang möchte ich darauf aufmerksam machen, dass in der Artikelbeschreibung nicht erwähnt wird, dass sich bei diesem Buch um Band 3 von einer Trilogie handelt.
Zugegeben: Man muss ein bisschen Verrückt sein, um mit den 6 Büchern (in 3 Bänden) von Edward Gibbon über das „Decline and Fall of The Roman Empire“ anzufangen.
Ja, ein bisschen Verrückt nach Geschichte, ein bisschen Verrückt nach der Römerzeit und nach dem Römischen Reich. Aber das waren auch die „Geburtsstunden“ unserer europäischen Kultur: Dreizehn Jahrhunderte behandelt das Werk, in denen nicht nur die Römer eine Rolle spielten.
Die ca. 1200 Seiten dieses Bandes, zusammen mit den 1100 des 1. und den 1000 des 2. machen das Werk wenig geeignet für eine schnelle Lektüre. Man sollte das Lesen von so einem Werk als Project anlegen, zwar ein Angenehmes aber auch ein Anspruchsvolles. Zudem ist zu bedenken, dass so ein Umfang bei diesem Werk vollkommen gerechtfertigt ist, anders als bei manchen gegenwärtigen Romanen.
Die vorliegende Auflage – herausgegeben von David Wormersley – hat unter Experten den Ruf sehr gut zu sein – ja, die beste moderne Ausgabe überhaupt. Das bezweifle ich kein Augenblick aber was mir als nicht-Experte gefällt, ist wie das Werk geschrieben ist, wie es ins heutige Englisch übersetzt wurde… Es liest sich nämlich sehr einfach und sehr gut und ist so unterhaltsam und interessanter als ein historischer Roman. Die Geschehnisse werden lebhaft dargestellt und ihre Bedeutung wird einem nahegebracht. Über die historische Gültigkeit mancher Analyse Gibbons mögen die Gelehrten streiten – für den einfach interessierten Laien wie mich ist das weniger wichtig.
Ja, ich hatte damit gerechnet eine längere Zeit für die Lektüre zu brauchen aber ich muss zugeben, dass das Werk mich schon von den ersten Seiten an gepackt hat.
Und falls Englisch nicht Ihre Sache ist, bei dtv gibt es auch eine sehr gute und relativ neue Auflage (2003) auf Deutsch, allerdings nicht vollständig (nur die ersten 3 Bücher von insgesamt 6).
One person found this helpful
 Report
Phil Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars Never been read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 21, 2021
Verified Purchase
An essentially new book at a bargain price.
Report
Cinzia Cancilleri
5.0 out of 5 stars Happy with the purchase.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 9, 2021
Verified Purchase
Fast delivery. Books accomplished with expectation.
Report
Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 9, 2016
Verified Purchase
After centuries still is The best one on this issue, undoubtedly.
Report