Edward Gibbon

British historian who wrote The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — the most celebrated historical work in the English language — tracing the fall of Rome from its height to the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, arguing that Christianity and barbarism jointly destroyed classical civilization.

Created the first modern critical history of Rome — Gibbon's ironic skepticism about Christianity's role in Roman decline, his use of primary sources, and his magnificent prose style established the standard for historical writing in English — and The Decline and Fall remains the most read work of serious history in the language.