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This is the syllabus for The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire which will be kicked off on May 10th.

Bentley has kindly put this together for the group.

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire � Volume I

Note: We are only doing Volume The First

SYLLABUS:

Table of Contents

Introduction xi - cvi
A Note on the Text � cvii � cviii
Acknowledgements � cix
Selected Further Readings � cx � cxi
Chronology � cxii –cxiii
Preface � 1 � 4
Advertisement 5

TOC � First Volume

ONE: The Extent and Military Force of the Empire, in the Age of the Antonines p. 31

TWO: Of the Union and Internal Prosperity of the Roman Empire in the Age of the Antonines p. 56

THREE: Of the Constitution of the Roman Empire in the Age of the Antonines p. 85

FOUR: The Cruelty, Follies, and Murder of Commodus � Election of Pertinax � His Attempts to reform the State. � His Assassination by the Pretorian Guards. p. 108

FIVE: Public Sale of the Empire to Didius Julianus by the Praetorian Guards. � Clodius Albinus in Britain, Pescennius Niger in Syria, and Septimius Severus in Pannonia, declare against the Murderers of Pertinax. � Civil Wars and Victory of Severus over his three Rivals. � Relaxation of Discipline, - New Maxims of Government. p. 127

SIX: The Death of Severus. � Tyranny of Caracellaa. � Usurpation of Macrinus. � Follies of Elagabulus. � Virtues of Alexander Severus. � Licentiousness of the Army. � General State of the Roman Finances. � p. 149

SEVEN: The Elevation and Tyranny of Maximin. � Rebellion in Africa and Italy, under the Authority of the Senate. � Civil Wars and Seditions. � Violent Deaths of Maximin and his Son, of Maximus and Balbinus, and of the three Gordians. � surpation and secular Games of Philip. p. 187

EIGHT: Of the State of Persia after the Restoration of the Monarchy of Artaxerxes p. 213

NINE: The State of Germany till the Invasion of the Barbarians, in the Time of the Emperor Decius. p. 230

TEN: The Emperor Decius, Gallus, Aemilianus, Valerian, and Gallienus. � The general Irruption of the Barbarians, - The thirty Tyrants. p. 253

ELEVEN: Reign of Claudius. � Defeat of the Goths. � Victories, Triumph, and Death of Aurelian. p. 295

TWELVE: Conduct of the Army and Senate after the Death of Aurelian. � Reigns of Tacitus, Probus, Carus, and his Sons. P. 327

THIRTEEN: The Reign of Diocletian and his three Associates, Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius, - General Re-establishment of Order and Tranquility. � The Persian War, Victory and Triumph. � The New Form of Administration. � Abdication and Retirement of Diocletian and Maximian. p. 358

FOURTEEN: Troubles after the Abdication of Diocletian. � Death of Constantius. � Elevation of Constantine and Maxentius. � Six Emperors at the Same Time. � Death of Maximian and Galerius. � Victories of Constantine over Maxentius and Licinius. � Re-union of the Empire under the Authority of Constantine. p. 400

FIFTEEN: The Progress of the Christian Religion, and the Sentiments, Manners, Numbers, and Condition of the primitive Christians. p. 446

SIXTEEN: The Conduct of the Roman Government towards the Christians, from the Reign of Nero to that of Constantine. p. 514


Appendix I � 1084 - 1105

Edward Gibbon

Note: This is a group membership selected book.

All,

For those of you trying to plan out your reading for Volume I - The reading takes place over 16 weeks - there are 16 chapters - a chapter a week.

Plus a segment of the introduction which is lengthy. I will divide up the introduction in terms of the 16 weeks so we do not lose momentum at the beginning.

My advice is to begin reading Chapter One for the first week's reading which in my edition begins on page 31 and ends on page 55. (24 pages)

For the introduction - read at least pages xi to xxii (11 pages).

That should put you in great shape and you should be ahead of the game by planning to read a chapter a week and 10 - 15 pages of the introduction a week.

I have the Penguin Classics Edition as noted above. We will only be doing Volume I.

Bentley

SYLLABUS

Week One - May 10th - May 16th
ONE: The Extent and Military Force of the Empire, in the Age of the Antonines p. 31 and INTRODUCTION - xi - xxii

Week Two - May 17th - May 23rd
TWO: Of the Union and Internal Prosperity of the Roman Empire in the Age of the Antonines p. 56 and INTRODUCTION - xxiii - xliii

Week Three - May 24th - May 30th
THREE: Of the Constitution of the Roman Empire in the Age of the Antonines p. 85 and INTRODUCTION - xliv - lii

Week Four - May 31st - June 6th
FOUR: The Cruelty, Follies, and Murder of Commodus � Election of Pertinax � His Attempts to reform the State. � His Assassination by the Pretorian Guards. p. 108 and INTRODUCTION - liii - lxii

Week Five - June 7th - June 13th
FIVE: Public Sale of the Empire to Didius Julianus by the Praetorian Guards. � Clodius Albinus in Britain, Pescennius Niger in Syria, and Septimius Severus in Pannonia, declare against the Murderers of Pertinax. � Civil Wars and Victory of Severus over his three Rivals. � Relaxation of Discipline, - New Maxims of Government. p. 127 and INTRODUCTION - lxiii - lxxii

Week Six - June 14th - June 20th
SIX: The Death of Severus. � Tyranny of Caracellaa. � Usurpation of Macrinus. � Follies of Elagabulus. � Virtues of Alexander Severus. � Licentiousness of the Army. � General State of the Roman Finances. � p. 149 and INTRODUCTION -lxxii - lxxxi

Week Seven - June 21st - June 27th
SEVEN: The Elevation and Tyranny of Maximin. � Rebellion in Africa and Italy, under the Authority of the Senate. � Civil Wars and Seditions. � Violent Deaths of Maximin and his Son, of Maximus and Balbinus, and of the three Gordians. � surpation and secular Games of Philip. p. 187 and INTRODUCTION - lxxxii - xci

Week Eight - June 28th - July 4th
EIGHT: Of the State of Persia after the Restoration of the Monarchy of Artaxerxes p. 213 and INTRODUCTION - xcii - ci

Week Nine - July 5th - July 11th
NINE: The State of Germany till the Invasion of the Barbarians, in the Time of the Emperor Decius. p. 230 and INTRODUCTION - cii - cvi

Week Ten - July 12th - July 18th
TEN: The Emperor Decius, Gallus, Aemilianus, Valerian, and Gallienus. � The general Irruption of the Barbarians, - The thirty Tyrants. p. 253 and A Note on the Text - cvii - cviii

Week Eleven - July 19th - July 25th
ELEVEN: Reign of Claudius. � Defeat of the Goths. � Victories, Triumph, and Death of Aurelian. p. 295 and Acknowledgements - cix

Week Twelve - July 26th - August 1st
TWELVE: Conduct of the Army and Senate after the Death of Aurelian. � Reigns of Tacitus, Probus, Carus, and his Sons. P. 327 and Chronology - cxii - cxiii

Week Thirteen - August 2nd - August 8th
THIRTEEN: The Reign of Diocletian and his three Associates, Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius, - General Re-establishment of Order and Tranquility. � The Persian War, Victory and Triumph. � The New Form of Administration. � Abdication and Retirement of Diocletian and Maximian. p. 358 and Preface 1 - 4

Week Fourteen - August 9th - August 15th
FOURTEEN: Troubles after the Abdication of Diocletian. � Death of Constantius. � Elevation of Constantine and Maxentius. � Six Emperors at the Same Time. � Death of Maximian and Galerius. � Victories of Constantine over Maxentius and Licinius. � Re-union of the Empire under the Authority of Constantine. p. 400 and Advertisement - 5

Week Fifteen - August 16th - August 22nd
FIFTEEN: The Progress of the Christian Religion, and the Sentiments, Manners, Numbers, and Condition of the primitive Christians. p. 446

Week Sixteen - August 23rd - August 29th
SIXTEEN: The Conduct of the Roman Government towards the Christians, from the Reign of Nero to that of Constantine. p. 514

These are the group members we hope to see participating:

YES:

1) Chandra said 'yes' Mar 01, 2010 05:10AM


2) Lori said 'yes' Mar 01, 2010 05:03AM


3) Elizabeth S Sorenson said 'yes' Mar 01, 2010 04:56AM
I'm pretty excited for this one. Although I hope we go slowly, since it look like it'll be dense. :)

4) Janette Nash said 'yes' Mar 01, 2010 04:14AM


5) Simon said 'yes' Mar 01, 2010 02:03AM


6) Kristen said 'yes' Mar 01, 2010 01:21AM
I've been waiting on this one!!

7) Bentley (organizer) said 'yes' Mar 01, 2010 01:09AM

8) Jen Bartlett said 'yes' May 03, 2010 07:19AM


9) John Jackson said 'yes' May 03, 2010 03:16AM


10) Rodney Craig said 'yes' Apr 25, 2010 02:28PM


11) CraZyBookWorm said 'yes' Apr 24, 2010 09:11AM


12) A.J. Howard said 'yes' Apr 23, 2010 11:16AM


13) Patrick Sprunger said 'yes' Apr 22, 2010 12:12PM


14) Joyce Lagow said 'yes' Apr 22, 2010 08:57AM
I've always been curious about this history, it's such a classic and mentioned so frequently throughout literature.

15) Vicki Cline said 'yes' Apr 22, 2010 08:50AM


16) Kw Estes said 'yes' Apr 21, 2010 06:54PM


17) Silvana said 'yes' Apr 18, 2010 08:11PM


18) Eliza Cilluffo said 'yes' Apr 06, 2010 05:15PM


19) Brant said 'yes' Apr 05, 2010 07:17AM


20) Judy Tanguay said 'yes' Apr 04, 2010 07:30AM


21) Jack said 'yes' Mar 09, 2010 10:45AM


22) Jan Verschoor said 'yes' Mar 07, 2010 09:41AM


23) Ruthbie said 'yes' Mar 03, 2010 02:51AM


24) Sara Herkes said 'yes' Mar 02, 2010 07:20PM


25) Bill P said 'yes' Mar 02, 2010 12:21PM


26) Andrea K said 'yes' Mar 02, 2010 09:16AM


27) Barbara Stilwell said 'yes' Mar 01, 2010 06:33PM


28) La-asia Lombard said 'yes' Mar 01, 2010 05:21PM


29) Martin Lamb said 'yes' Mar 01, 2010 02:30PM


30) Vince Brancato said 'yes' Mar 01, 2010 07:31AM


31) Erick Burnham said 'yes' Mar 01, 2010 06:54AM


32) Joe said 'yes' Mar 01, 2010 06:27AM

I hope to see all of you in the discussion.

Bentley

I'm afraid I'll be missing out on the Introduction. I have an abridged version of the book, and have printed out online copies of the summarized chapters in that book, but I can't find an online copy of the introduction. It must be specific to the full edition of the book.

Vicki wrote: "I'm afraid I'll be missing out on the Introduction. I have an abridged version of the book, and have printed out online copies of the summarized chapters in that book, but I can't find an online c..."

I'm using a version I down loaded free from Diesel e-books (the project Gutenberg version) with Microsoft reader. How do you tell if the introduction is abridged?

Vicki and Patricrk, I am using the Penguin edition (see Publication thread for full details). The introduction in Penguin is quite long. Since I am not familiar with your version, I really cannot tell for sure.

It is not the end of the world if you use another unabridged version of the work. On the publication thread, I recommended some copies.

I think you will both be fine (but with the abridged version Vicki - some segments might be missing from yours.)