The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
A Modern Abridgment by Moses Hadas
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Buy for $27.29
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Mitch Horowitz
About this listen
The Classic History of Rome’s Fall From Glory in an Unparalleled Abridgment and Reintroduction
Few historical works encompass the pathos, drama, and meticulous detail of Edward Gibbon’s extraordinary record of Rome’s demise, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, which the English historian issued in six volumes from 1776 to 1789.
In 1962, classics scholar Moses Hadas produced an extraordinary—and long out-of-print—modern abridgment of Gibbon’s landmark, opening its pages to the broadest possible range of readers. Now, Hadas’s gloriously readable digest is available once more—with a new and wide-spanning introduction by PEN Award-winning historian Mitch Horowitz and an appendix of aphorisms from the book.
An artform in itself, “Hadas’s effort is among the finest of any abridged works in English,” Mitch writes in his introduction. “His condensation exposed this vital book to many readers who would have otherwise bypassed it. Hadas intrepidly identified and distilled a narrative throughline in Gibbon’s six volumes, reducing more than 1,000,000 words—not counting nearly half as many more in source notes—to fewer than 100,000 words.”
In its sweeping yet concise arc of history, this abridgment of Decline and Fall covers a span of almost 1,500 years from the time of Trajan in 180 A.D. to the siege of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453. “Its theme,” Hadas writes, “is the most overwhelming phenomenon in recorded history—the disintegration not of a nation but of an old and rich and apparently indestructible civilization.”
In his introduction, Mitch clarifies historical confusions, such as the highly unorthodox form of early Christianity to which the Emperor Constantine converted in the early fourth century and the syncretic nature of Roman—and modern—religious traditions.
For listeners eager to experience Gibbon’s brilliant primary historicism, to understand the long decline of Rome—and the reasons for the Empire’s demise—there exists no better or more accessible condensation of Decline and Fall.
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
- By: Edward Gibbon
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 126 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 982
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 830
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 825
Here in a single volume is the entire, unabridged recording of Gibbon's masterpiece. Beginning in the second century A.D. at the apex of the Pax Romana, Gibbon traces the arc of decline and complete destruction through the centuries across Europe and the Mediterranean. It is a thrilling and cautionary tale of splendor and ruin, of faith and hubris, and of civilization and barbarism. Follow along as Christianity overcomes paganism... before itself coming under intense pressure from Islam.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Masterpiece - Best Audiobook I’ve Listened To
- By Student on 09-18-18
By: Edward Gibbon
-
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 1
- By: Edward Gibbon
- Narrated by: Bernard Mayes
- Length: 41 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 488
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 310
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 311
Considered one of the finest historical works in the English language, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is lauded for its graceful, elegant prose style as much as for its epic scope. Remarkably accurate for its day, Gibbon's treatise holds a high place in the history of literature and remains an enduring subject of study.
Gibbon's monumental work traces the history of more than 13 centuries, covering the great events as well as the general historical progression. This first volume covers A.D. 180 to A.D. 395, which includes the establishment of Christianity and the Crusades.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
One of the best purchases of my life
- By MJL on 10-03-11
By: Edward Gibbon
-
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
- By: Edward Gibbon
- Narrated by: Alastair Cameron
- Length: 108 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 23
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 19
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon (an English historian) is a six-volume collection that examines the fate of one of the most renowned civilizations in history, the Roman Empire. In this masterpiece, Gibbon covers the time periods from the second century A.D. to the 15th century, and takes a look at the history of early Christianity along with the Roman State church, the history of Europe and the Middle East along with the rise of Islam, and the events that lead to the collapse of the Roman Empire among many other historical events.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Absolutely Loved It!
- By Emily Spencer on 10-01-21
By: Edward Gibbon
-
The New Thought Treasury
- The Greatest Works of the Original Success Thinkers
- By: Napoleon Hill, Mitch Horowitz, Claude M. Bristol, and others
- Narrated by: Mitch Horowitz
- Length: 56 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 6
A Treasure Trove Library to Motivate, Inspire, and Change You for All Time!
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great Info
- By Connie West on 02-27-25
By: Napoleon Hill, and others
-
The Fyodor Dostoyevsky Complete Collection
- The Brothers Karamazov; Crime and Punishment; The Idiot; Notes from the Underground; The Demons; Novellas; Complete Short Stories; Essays; and Letters
- By: Fyodor Dostoyevsky
- Narrated by: David Rintoul, Jonathan Keeble, Malk Williams, and others
- Length: 266 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 15
This audiobook, read by Audie award-winning narrators, includes unabridged recordings of all Fyodor Dostoyevky's greatest works: 15 novels and novellas, 18 short stories, a short study of Dostoyevsky by Virginia Woolf, and two books of non-fiction - his Letters and European travel journal.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Crucial Human Journey
- By O. on 04-07-24
-
Rubicon
- The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic
- By: Tom Holland
- Narrated by: Tom Holland
- Length: 14 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 141
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 130
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 130
The Roman Republic was the most remarkable state in history. What began as a small community of peasants camped among marshes and hills ended up ruling the known world. Rubicon paints a vivid portrait of the Republic at the climax of its greatness—the same greatness which would herald the catastrophe of its fall.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Story of the Fall of the republic told in a very lively manner.
- By Marteinn Úlfur on 12-16-24
By: Tom Holland
-
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
- By: Edward Gibbon
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 126 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 982
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 830
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 825
Here in a single volume is the entire, unabridged recording of Gibbon's masterpiece. Beginning in the second century A.D. at the apex of the Pax Romana, Gibbon traces the arc of decline and complete destruction through the centuries across Europe and the Mediterranean. It is a thrilling and cautionary tale of splendor and ruin, of faith and hubris, and of civilization and barbarism. Follow along as Christianity overcomes paganism... before itself coming under intense pressure from Islam.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Masterpiece - Best Audiobook I’ve Listened To
- By Student on 09-18-18
By: Edward Gibbon
-
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 1
- By: Edward Gibbon
- Narrated by: Bernard Mayes
- Length: 41 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 488
-
Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 310
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 311
Considered one of the finest historical works in the English language, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is lauded for its graceful, elegant prose style as much as for its epic scope. Remarkably accurate for its day, Gibbon's treatise holds a high place in the history of literature and remains an enduring subject of study.
Gibbon's monumental work traces the history of more than 13 centuries, covering the great events as well as the general historical progression. This first volume covers A.D. 180 to A.D. 395, which includes the establishment of Christianity and the Crusades.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
One of the best purchases of my life
- By MJL on 10-03-11
By: Edward Gibbon
-
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
- By: Edward Gibbon
- Narrated by: Alastair Cameron
- Length: 108 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 23
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 19
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 19
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon (an English historian) is a six-volume collection that examines the fate of one of the most renowned civilizations in history, the Roman Empire. In this masterpiece, Gibbon covers the time periods from the second century A.D. to the 15th century, and takes a look at the history of early Christianity along with the Roman State church, the history of Europe and the Middle East along with the rise of Islam, and the events that lead to the collapse of the Roman Empire among many other historical events.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Absolutely Loved It!
- By Emily Spencer on 10-01-21
By: Edward Gibbon
-
The New Thought Treasury
- The Greatest Works of the Original Success Thinkers
- By: Napoleon Hill, Mitch Horowitz, Claude M. Bristol, and others
- Narrated by: Mitch Horowitz
- Length: 56 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 6
A Treasure Trove Library to Motivate, Inspire, and Change You for All Time!
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great Info
- By Connie West on 02-27-25
By: Napoleon Hill, and others
-
The Fyodor Dostoyevsky Complete Collection
- The Brothers Karamazov; Crime and Punishment; The Idiot; Notes from the Underground; The Demons; Novellas; Complete Short Stories; Essays; and Letters
- By: Fyodor Dostoyevsky
- Narrated by: David Rintoul, Jonathan Keeble, Malk Williams, and others
- Length: 266 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 15
This audiobook, read by Audie award-winning narrators, includes unabridged recordings of all Fyodor Dostoyevky's greatest works: 15 novels and novellas, 18 short stories, a short study of Dostoyevsky by Virginia Woolf, and two books of non-fiction - his Letters and European travel journal.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Crucial Human Journey
- By O. on 04-07-24
-
Rubicon
- The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic
- By: Tom Holland
- Narrated by: Tom Holland
- Length: 14 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 141
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 130
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 130
The Roman Republic was the most remarkable state in history. What began as a small community of peasants camped among marshes and hills ended up ruling the known world. Rubicon paints a vivid portrait of the Republic at the climax of its greatness—the same greatness which would herald the catastrophe of its fall.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Story of the Fall of the republic told in a very lively manner.
- By Marteinn Úlfur on 12-16-24
By: Tom Holland