156. When did the Roman Empire fall?

Edward Gibbon

But, of course, as Gibbon suggested in that passage that you read, there is the salient fact that, of course, what we're talking about is the fall of…

Doyle

So, and these Greek and Jewish traditions kind of merge and blur to create prophecies that are attributed to old women called Sybils.

Herodotus

So Herodotus, the very first historian in the opening of his book, he says that, you know, powers that were great are now small and vice versa.

Episode summary

Tom and Dominic explore what Edward Gibbon called “the greatest, perhaps, and most awful scene in the history of mankind”: the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Jack Davenport *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook

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Edward Gibbon

The host discusses Edward Gibbon's extensive research and the complexities surrounding the fall of the Roman Empire,…

Doyle

The host mentions 'The Book of Daniel' to illustrate the historical perspective on the rise and fall of empires, part…

Herodotus

The host mentions 'The Histories' by Herodotus to illustrate the cyclical nature of empires and the awareness of Roma…

Odes

Horace

The host discusses the complexities surrounding the fall of the Roman Empire, emphasizing the significance of politic…

Decline and fall of Rome(1)fall of empires(1)fall of the Roman Empire(1)Rise and fall of empires(1)

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What is 156. When did the Roman Empire fall? about?

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for 156. When did the Roman Empire fall? on The Rest Is History.

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The conversation centers on Decline and fall of Rome.
A second recurring theme is fall of empires.
Referenced books include The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon and The Book of Daniel by Doyle.
The strongest audience signal points to Historians and enthusiasts of Roman history and Historians and students of ancient history.

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Historians and enthusiasts of Roman historyHistorians and students of ancient historyHistorians and students of Roman history

Books Mentioned

The full list below is ranked by how useful each mention is to a listener: stronger recommendation language, clearer quote context, and better timestamp support rise first.

Edward Gibbon

Best for Historians and enthusiasts of Roman historyOften cited around fall of the Roman Empire

“The historian Edward Gibbon wrote the final sentences of his great book, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, which took him 20 years to complete.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: fall of the Roman Empire

For: Historians and enthusiasts of Roman history

Key quote: “But, of course, as Gibbon suggested in that passage that you read, there is the salient fact that, of course, what we're talking about is the fall of the Roman Empire in the West.”

The host discusses Edward Gibbon's extensive research and the complexities surrounding the fall of the Roman Empire, emphasizing that it cannot be pinned to a single date. This exploration serves as a foundation for a broader discussion on the themes of decline and fall throughout history.

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Doyle

Best for Historians and students of ancient historyOften cited around fall of empires

“We've talked about the book of Daniel in, I think, in the Babylon episode, didn't we? Where he sees four beasts coming out of the ocean.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: fall of empires

For: Historians and students of ancient history

Key quote: “So, and these Greek and Jewish traditions kind of merge and blur to create prophecies that are attributed to old women called Sybils.”

The host mentions 'The Book of Daniel' to illustrate the historical perspective on the rise and fall of empires, particularly in relation to the Roman Empire's fears of its own decline. The book serves as a prophetic lens through which the Romans viewed their precarious position amidst civil unrest and external threats.

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Herodotus

Best for Historians and students of ancient historyOften cited around Rise and fall of empires

“Herodotus, the very first historian in the opening of his book, he says that, you know, powers that were great are now small and vice versa.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: Rise and fall of empires

For: Historians and students of ancient history

Key quote: “So Herodotus, the very first historian in the opening of his book, he says that, you know, powers that were great are now small and vice versa.”

The host mentions 'The Histories' by Herodotus to illustrate the cyclical nature of empires and the awareness of Romans regarding their own potential decline. Herodotus' insights into the rise and fall of powers resonate with the historical context of Rome's fears and aspirations.

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Odes

Horace

Best for Historians and students of Roman historyOften cited around Decline and fall of Rome

“Horace, you know, the great poet writes about this, but then the achievement of Augustus really is to reassure the cultural elites in Rome.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: Decline and fall of Rome

For: Historians and students of Roman history

Key quote: “So if you're looking for dates for the fall of Rome, the end of Rome, what you could say is that Rome ends when the Roman people become slaves.”

The host discusses the complexities surrounding the fall of the Roman Empire, emphasizing the significance of political power and military dominance. In this context, the mention of Horace's 'Odes' serves to illustrate the cultural and historical reflections on power and authority during Rome's transition from a republic to an empire.

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The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

The Rest Is History · 0:16

But, of course, as Gibbon suggested in that passage that you read, there is the salient fact that, of course, what we're talking about is the fall of…

The Book of Daniel

The Rest Is History · 12:09

So, and these Greek and Jewish traditions kind of merge and blur to create prophecies that are attributed to old women called Sybils.

The Histories

The Rest Is History · 11:50

So Herodotus, the very first historian in the opening of his book, he says that, you know, powers that were great are now small and vice versa.

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Edward Gibbon

The host discusses Edward Gibbon's extensive research and the complexities surrounding the fall of the Roman Empire, emphasizing that it cannot be…

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Mentioned at 12:09

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Doyle

The host mentions 'The Book of Daniel' to illustrate the historical perspective on the rise and fall of empires, particularly in relation to the Ro…

Direct Amazon listing · affiliate link

Mentioned at 11:50