The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is the short title of an important book by the 18th century English historian Edward Gibbon. The book traces the Roman Empire—and Western civilization as a whole—from the late first century AD to the fall of the Eastern or Byzantine Empire.
Published in six volumes, from volume I in 1776 to volumes IV, V, VI in 1788–89. The work covers the history of the Roman Empire, Europe, and the Catholic Church from 98 to 1590 AD, and discusses the decline of the Roman Empire in the East and its fall in the West. Because of its relative objectivity and heavy use of primary sources, its methodology became a model for later historians. This led to Gibbon being called the first "modern historian of ancient Rome".
Gibbon gave an explanation for why the Roman Empire fell.
According to Gibbon, the Roman Empire succumbed to barbarian invasions because its citizens gradually lost their "civic virtue". They had become weak, using barbarian mercenaries to defend their Empire, who then became so numerous that they were able to take over the Empire.
Romans, he believed, became unwilling to live the tougher, "manly" military lifestyle. In addition, Gibbon argued that Christianity created a belief that a better life existed after death. This fostered an indifference to the present among Roman citizens, and sapped their desire to sacrifice for the Empire. He also believed its pacifism tended to hamper the traditional Roman martial spirit. Finally, like other Enlightenment thinkers, Gibbon held in contempt the Middle Ages as a priest-ridden, superstitious, "dark age". It was not until his own age of reason and rational thought, so it was believed, that human history could resume its progress.
Gibbon sees the Praetorian Guard as the main catalyst of the empire's initial decay and eventual collapse, a seed planted by Augustus at the start of the empire. He cites repeated examples of the Praetorian Guard abusing their power with calamitous results, including numerous instances of imperial assassination and incessant demands for increased pay.
In Volume I, especially Chapters XV and XVI, Gibbon challenged Church history. He estimated far smaller numbers of Christian martyrs than had been previously thought. The Church's version of its early history had rarely been questioned before. For Gibbon, however, the Church writings were secondary sources. He shunned them in favour of primary sources from the period he was writing about. This is one reason why Gibbon is referred to as the "first modern historian".
Gibbon's main theory was that Christianity as a prime factor in the Empire's decline and fall.
And, more generally:
Later historians have mostly not agreed with Gibbon. Today, historians tend to analyze economic and military factors in the decline of Rome.
Gibbon continued to revise and change his work even after publication. The complexities of the problem are addressed in Womersley's introduction and appendices to his complete edition.
Aminul Islam (poet)
Aminul Islam (born 29 December 1963) is a poet and essayist. He is from Bangladesh. Aminul has written seven books. He written five poetry books. He has been involved in creative writing for 20 years.
Aminul Islam (trade unionist)
Aminul Islam (1973 – April 2012) was a Bangladeshi trade unionist (someone who organises trade unions). He was murdered in 2012.
Islam was a former garment worker and was president of the Ashulia and Savar Bangladesh Garment & Industrial Workers Federation.
Also he was the leader of Bangladesh Center of Worker Solidarity. It has advocated for improved working conditions and higher wages. In 2010, the organization led protested to push for a larger increase in the minimum wage for garment workers. Islam and other protester were arrested for that.
Islam had recently been working to organize workers in factories, which belonged to the Shanta Group. The company produces clothing for multiple American companies, like Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, and Ralph Lauren. He had also assisted ABC News, for an interview with the survivors of a recent factory fire in Bangladesh.
Aminul Islam
Aminul Islam may refer to:
Mahmudullah
Mohammad Mahmudullah Riyad (born February 4, 1986 in Mymensingh, Dhaka), is a Bangladeshi cricketer. He is also known as Mahmudullah. Currently he is the vice captain of Bangladesh cricket team.
Naeem Islam
Mohammad Naeem Islam is an international cricketer from Bangladesh. He was born on 31 December 1986 in Gaibandha. He is a right-handed batsman. He is also an occasional off break bowler.
Shohag Gazi
Sohag Gazi (born August 5, 1991, Barisal) is a Bangladeshi cricketer. He made his Test debut in first test against West Indies in 2012. taking six wickets in the second innings.
Enamul Haque Jr
Enamul Haque (born 5 December 1986 in Sylhet), is a Bangladeshi cricketer. He is known as Enamul Haque jr because a Bangladeshi player Enamul Haque played before him. He is a right-handed batsman. He bowls a slow left-arm delivery.
India national cricket team
The Indian Cricket Team is the national cricket team of India. It is ruled by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). It is a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). It has Test and One Day International (ODI) status.
List of One Day International cricket matches played by Bangladesh and Australia
The cricket teams of Bangladesh and Australia have played against each other in ODIs since 1990. They have met on 19 occasions. Australia is most successful with 18 victories, Bangladesh have won in only 1 game.
One Day International
One Day International is a form of limited overs cricket. It is played between 2 teams who has one-day status. It was played first in 1971. The teams were Australia and England. In this format of cricket 50 overs played in each innings. But earlier it was 60 overs.
Over (cricket)
In a cricket match an over is a set of six balls bowled from one end of a cricket pitch.
In a normal over, a single bowlers delivers six balls. After the over, the umpire calls "over". Some forms of cricket, like T20 cricket, limit the number of overs that can be bowled in a match/innings.
Since 1979/80, all Test cricket has been played with six balls per over. But sometimes it also played more than six or less than six.
Balls per over
In England
In Australia
In South Africa
In New Zealand
In Pakistan
In India, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates (venue, not host) all Test matches have been played with six ball overs.
Cricket pitch
In cricket match the cricket pitch is the central part of the cricket field. It is 22 yards (20.12 m) long and 10 feet (3.05 m) wide. The surface is very flat, so the ball can bounce on it when bowled to the batsman. At each end of the pitch there is a batsman's ground and a wicket. The bowler must bowl the ball from one end of the pitch (otherwise it is a no-ball) to the batsman or wicket at the other end (it is a wide￼￼ if the ball is not thrown near one of these).
Samizdat
Samizdat was the underground literature of the Soviet Union. Since many authors were banned, and could not publish their works, people used typescripts to circulate their work. Penalties for being caught with copies of banned works was severe. Owning a printing press required permission, and all forms of printing required a licence. However, typewriters were common and, with the aid of carbon paper, many copies of the best works were produced and circulated.
Once samizdats were in circulation, they sometimes got into the West. Several important works were published from samizdat and translated, before they were published in the Soviet Union.
Mindy Kaling
Vera Mindy Chokalingam, known professionally as Mindy Kaling (born June 24 1979 in Cambridge, Massachusetts) is an American actress and comedian. She is also a writer and acts mostly on television programs.