In Edward Gibbon’s observations about the End of the Roman Empire, he describes the people, the places, and the things the Empire had or was losing. He talks about the “virtues and vices” of the Empire. He explains how the fall of the Roman Empire was going to happen eventually anyway because of the wars, the strangers, the people who did not have freedom, and the people who did not want to follow the emperors. He goes on to talk about the changing of the capital to Constantinople and about the emperor, Constantine. He talks about how Christianity was one of the causes of the fall of the empire because it brought the military down; it discouraged the common people, and cost money because of all the charities. He also mentions the enemies the Romans had to deal with, like the Huns and the Barbarians. Gibbon does talk about the positive sides of the empire though. He mentions the important new weapons, military tactics, and trading goods and resources.
In Tonybee’s observations about the End of the Roman Empire, he talks about religion more than anything, especially towards the end of his essay. He also mentions war and the downfall of it. He talks mainly about the connection between Christianity and civilization. He continues on to say how he does not agree with what Gibbon and a man named Frazer had to say. Tonybee does not agree that Christianity was the cause of the downfall, but that it was a consequence of it. Gibbon’s writing was more about the end of the empire. He gave examples, but he was dark about it. Tonybee’s writing is more recent and more opinionated. He talks about religion more than Gibbon did, but he proves his point that Christianity was not the cause of the fall of the empire.
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