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EDWARD GIBBON’S THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE AND THE BYZANTINE STUDIES

Year 2023, , 97 - 108, 31.01.2023
https://doi.org/10.21550/sosbilder.1123231

Abstract

Edward Gibbon’s The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is an iconic book which inspired many works in various disciplines like the fields of cinema and literature besides of being considered one of the masterpieces in the field of history writing. Gibbon also had a great impact on the field of Byzantine studies by negative image of Byzantine Empire that he portrayed in his book, and by many scholars he is named among those who are mainly responsible for nearly a century-long apathy towards Byzantine history. In this study, the negative impact of Gibbon’s work on the field of Byzantine studies will be mentioned in detail, an effort will be made to reveal the framework of the author’s negative view about Byzantine Empire by the medium of original text of the book, and the factors that shaped this negative view, the Enlightenment thought being in the first place, will be discussed.

References

  • Baker, S. (1979-1980). Evil, primitivisim, and progress in Gibbon’s ‘Decline and Fall’. Modern Language Studies, 10(1), 32-42.
  • Bleckmann, B. (2006). Sources for the history of Constantine. In N. Lenski (Ed.), The Cambridge Companion to The Age of Constantine (pp. 14-32), Cambridge University Press.
  • Brown, P. (1971). The world of late antiquity. Harcourt Brace Jovanovic Inc.
  • Browning, R. (1992). The Byzantine Empire. The Catholic University of America Press.
  • Dagron, G. (2003). Emperor and priest: The imperial office in Byzantium. Cambridge University Press.
  • Geanakoplos, D. J. (1966a). Byzantine east and Latin west: Two worlds of Christendom in middle ages and Renaissance. Blackwell.
  • Geanakoplos, D. J. (1966b). Edward Gibbon and Byzantine ecclesiastical history. Church History, 35(2), 170-185.
  • Ghosh, P. R. (1991). Gibbon observed. The Journal of Roman Studies, (81), 132-156.
  • Gibbon, E. (1940). The decline and fall of the Roman Empire. 1-2, The Modern Library.
  • Gruman, G. J. (1960). ‘Balance’ and ‘excess’ as Gibbon’s explanation of the decline and fall. History and Theory, 1(1), 75-85.
  • Harris, J. (2005). Introduction. In J. Harris (Ed.), Palgrave Advances in Byzantine History (pp. 1-6), Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Jones, A. H. M. (1948). Constantine and the conversion of Europe. Hodder & Stoughton Limited.
  • Jordan, D. P. (1969). Gibbon’s ‘Age of Constantine’ and the fall of Rome. History and Theory, 8(1), 71-96.
  • Kazhdan, A. & Constable, G. (1982). People and power in Byzantium: An introduction to modern Byzantine studies. Dumbarton Oaks Center for Byzantine Studies.
  • Kazhdan, A. & Epstein, A. W. (1985). Change in Byzantine culture in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. University of California Press.
  • Kelly, C. (1997). A grand tour: Reading Edward Gibbon’s ‘Decline and Fall’. Greece & Rome, 44(1), 39-58.
  • Machin, W. J. (1939). Gibbon’s debt to contemporary scholarship. The Review of English Studies, 15(57), 84-88.
  • Mango, C. (2002). The revival of learning. In C. Mango (Ed.), The Oxford History of Byzantium (pp. 214-229), Oxford University Press.
  • Noonkester, M. C. (1990). Gibbon and the clergy: Private virtues, public vices. The Harvard Theological Review, 83(4), 399-414.
  • Oliver, D. M. (1971). The character of an historian: Edward Gibbon. ELH, 38(2), 254-273.
  • Ostrogorsky, G. (1969). History of the Byzantine state. Rutgers University Press.
  • Pocock, J. G. A. (1977). Gibbon’s Decline and Fall and world view of the late Enlightenment. Eighteenth-Century Studies, 10(3), 287-303.
  • Runciman, S. (1979). Byzantine theocracy. Cambridge University Press.
  • Treadgold, W. (1997). A History of the Byzantine state and society. Stanford University Press.
  • Wootton, D. (1994). Narrative, irony, and faith in Gibbon’s Decline and Fall. History and Theory, 33(4), 77-105.
  • Young, B. W. (2000). Religious history and the eighteenth-century historian. The Historical Journal, 43(3), 849-868.

Edward Gibbon’un Roma İmparatorluğu’nun Gerileyişi ve Çöküşü Eseri ve Bizans Çalışmaları

Year 2023, , 97 - 108, 31.01.2023
https://doi.org/10.21550/sosbilder.1123231

Abstract

Edward Gibbon’un Roma İmparatorluğunun Gerileyişi ve Çöküşü adlı eseri tarih yazımı alanının başyapıtlarından biri olarak kabul edilmenin yanı sıra edebiyattan sinemaya pek çok alanda verilen eserlere de ilham kaynağı olmuş ikonik bir çalışmadır. Gibbon, eserinde Bizans İmparatorluğu ile alakalı çizmiş olduğu negatif portre ile Bizans çalışmaları alanı üzerinde de büyük bir etkide bulunmuş ve pek çok araştırmacı tarafından Bizans tarihine karşı neredeyse bir asır boyunca duyulan ilgisizliğin baş sorumlularından biri olarak gösterilmiştir. Bu çalışmada Gibbon’un eserinin Bizans çalışmaları alanı üzerinde bıraktığı olumsuz etkiye detaylı olarak değinilecek, eserin özgün metninden faydalanılarak yazarın Bizans İmparatorluğu ile alakalı olumsuz bakışının ana hatları ortaya koyulmaya çalışılacak ve başta Aydınlanma Çağı düşüncesi olmak üzere bu olumsuz bakışı şekillendiren faktörler ele alınacaktır.

References

  • Baker, S. (1979-1980). Evil, primitivisim, and progress in Gibbon’s ‘Decline and Fall’. Modern Language Studies, 10(1), 32-42.
  • Bleckmann, B. (2006). Sources for the history of Constantine. In N. Lenski (Ed.), The Cambridge Companion to The Age of Constantine (pp. 14-32), Cambridge University Press.
  • Brown, P. (1971). The world of late antiquity. Harcourt Brace Jovanovic Inc.
  • Browning, R. (1992). The Byzantine Empire. The Catholic University of America Press.
  • Dagron, G. (2003). Emperor and priest: The imperial office in Byzantium. Cambridge University Press.
  • Geanakoplos, D. J. (1966a). Byzantine east and Latin west: Two worlds of Christendom in middle ages and Renaissance. Blackwell.
  • Geanakoplos, D. J. (1966b). Edward Gibbon and Byzantine ecclesiastical history. Church History, 35(2), 170-185.
  • Ghosh, P. R. (1991). Gibbon observed. The Journal of Roman Studies, (81), 132-156.
  • Gibbon, E. (1940). The decline and fall of the Roman Empire. 1-2, The Modern Library.
  • Gruman, G. J. (1960). ‘Balance’ and ‘excess’ as Gibbon’s explanation of the decline and fall. History and Theory, 1(1), 75-85.
  • Harris, J. (2005). Introduction. In J. Harris (Ed.), Palgrave Advances in Byzantine History (pp. 1-6), Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Jones, A. H. M. (1948). Constantine and the conversion of Europe. Hodder & Stoughton Limited.
  • Jordan, D. P. (1969). Gibbon’s ‘Age of Constantine’ and the fall of Rome. History and Theory, 8(1), 71-96.
  • Kazhdan, A. & Constable, G. (1982). People and power in Byzantium: An introduction to modern Byzantine studies. Dumbarton Oaks Center for Byzantine Studies.
  • Kazhdan, A. & Epstein, A. W. (1985). Change in Byzantine culture in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. University of California Press.
  • Kelly, C. (1997). A grand tour: Reading Edward Gibbon’s ‘Decline and Fall’. Greece & Rome, 44(1), 39-58.
  • Machin, W. J. (1939). Gibbon’s debt to contemporary scholarship. The Review of English Studies, 15(57), 84-88.
  • Mango, C. (2002). The revival of learning. In C. Mango (Ed.), The Oxford History of Byzantium (pp. 214-229), Oxford University Press.
  • Noonkester, M. C. (1990). Gibbon and the clergy: Private virtues, public vices. The Harvard Theological Review, 83(4), 399-414.
  • Oliver, D. M. (1971). The character of an historian: Edward Gibbon. ELH, 38(2), 254-273.
  • Ostrogorsky, G. (1969). History of the Byzantine state. Rutgers University Press.
  • Pocock, J. G. A. (1977). Gibbon’s Decline and Fall and world view of the late Enlightenment. Eighteenth-Century Studies, 10(3), 287-303.
  • Runciman, S. (1979). Byzantine theocracy. Cambridge University Press.
  • Treadgold, W. (1997). A History of the Byzantine state and society. Stanford University Press.
  • Wootton, D. (1994). Narrative, irony, and faith in Gibbon’s Decline and Fall. History and Theory, 33(4), 77-105.
  • Young, B. W. (2000). Religious history and the eighteenth-century historian. The Historical Journal, 43(3), 849-868.
There are 26 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Hıdır Nezih Bamyacı 0000-0002-4927-5203

Publication Date January 31, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2023

Cite

APA Bamyacı, H. N. (2023). EDWARD GIBBON’S THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE AND THE BYZANTINE STUDIES. Uludağ Üniversitesi Fen-Edebiyat Fakültesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 24(44), 97-108. https://doi.org/10.21550/sosbilder.1123231