How Did Gibbon Contribute To The Decline Of The Roman Empire
Edward Gibbon, undoubtedly one of the most renowned historians in the western world for his History and Decline of the Roman Empire (published from 1776-78) was a firm believer in the role of the rise of Christianity as a major cause in the decline of the Roman Empire. Although he does not suggest that Christianity was the single cause for the fall of the Empire, he has strongly advocated that ‘the early Christian church at once redoubled the burden and reduced the strength of the Empire’ , an Empire that was already weak from the lack of progress.
In his work, Gibbon wanted to answer one of the questions that plagued his age, why had the Roman Empire collapsed? According to his views, Gibbon believed that the social and political structures …show more content…
Gibbon maintained that progress was defined by the, ‘free circulation of goods and ideas’ and an ‘open, plural society’, both concepts that did not exist in the Roman Empire.
Through its formation during the later Empire, the already ‘centralised, monopolist, parasitic’ Church was placed in a similar atmosphere within the State. As well as this its teachings rejected the very ideas that Gibbon saw as essential to progress. The fact that the early Church seemed to be the antithesis of progress led Gibbon to believe it contributed to the eventual downfall of the once thriving Roman Empire. However this factor only exacerbated the already stagnating situation of the Roman state, which, as mentioned above, did not have the characteristics essential to progress.
Gibbon references five causes for the success of the Christian Church described as: “the inflexible and intolerant zeal of the Christians, the doctrine of a future life improved by every additional circumstance which could give weight and efficacy to that important truth, the miraculous powers ascribed to the primitive church, the pure and austere morals of the Christians and the union and discipline of the Christian Empire which gradually formed an independent and increasing state in the heart of the Roman
In his work, Gibbon wanted to answer one of the questions that plagued his age, why had the Roman Empire collapsed? According to his views, Gibbon believed that the social and political structures …show more content…
Gibbon maintained that progress was defined by the, ‘free circulation of goods and ideas’ and an ‘open, plural society’, both concepts that did not exist in the Roman Empire.
Through its formation during the later Empire, the already ‘centralised, monopolist, parasitic’ Church was placed in a similar atmosphere within the State. As well as this its teachings rejected the very ideas that Gibbon saw as essential to progress. The fact that the early Church seemed to be the antithesis of progress led Gibbon to believe it contributed to the eventual downfall of the once thriving Roman Empire. However this factor only exacerbated the already stagnating situation of the Roman state, which, as mentioned above, did not have the characteristics essential to progress.
Gibbon references five causes for the success of the Christian Church described as: “the inflexible and intolerant zeal of the Christians, the doctrine of a future life improved by every additional circumstance which could give weight and efficacy to that important truth, the miraculous powers ascribed to the primitive church, the pure and austere morals of the Christians and the union and discipline of the Christian Empire which gradually formed an independent and increasing state in the heart of the Roman