Gibbon Conceives the Idea for The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
- When
- 1764
- Where
- Rome; Ruins of the Capitol, Rome
- Episodes
- 2
In October 1764, Edward Gibbon conceived the idea for his history of Rome's decline while sitting in the ruins of the Capitol. He initially planned a history of the city, later expanding the scope to the entire Roman Empire. This moment, known as the Capitoline vision, marked the origin of his major work.
Episodes
- Arrival in Rome
Gibbon and Guise arrived in Rome in early October 1764 after traveling from Florence.
- Capitoline Vision
Gibbon conceived the idea for his history while sitting in the ruins of the Capitol on October 15, 1764.
Background and detail
Conception of the Idea. On October 15, 1764, Gibbon sat musing amidst the ruins of the Capitol in Rome. As barefoot friars sang vespers in the temple of Jupiter, the idea of writing the decline and fall of the city first started to his mind. He later described this moment as his "Capitoline vision."
Historical Debate. Scholars like Pocock have questioned the exact date, suggesting the "Capitoline vision" might be a creation of memory or literary invention. Gibbon's autobiography claimed the journal dated the reminiscence to October 15, but the journal itself gives no specific date, leading to debates about the precision of this historical moment.
People involved
- Edward Gibbon · British essayist, historian, and author of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
- William Guise · Travel companion who accompanied Gibbon to Italy in 1764
Sources
- Edward Gibbon Wikipedia
- The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Wikipedia
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