Lebeau

1824 · FGN21-E-1 — Paris: De L'Imprimerie de Firmin Didot 1824. Leather. Very Good Indeed. 8.5" by 5". Not Stated. A rare fascinating collection of works exploring the history of the later Roman Empire. A rare fascinating collection of works exploring the history of the later Roman Empire. New edition written in French. The decline of the Roman Empire refers to the gradual societal collapse of the Western Roman Empire. Many theories of causality prevail but most concern the disintegration of political economic military and other social institutions in tandem with foreign invasions and usurpers from within the empire. Volume I focuses on Constantine the Great Constantine I or Saint Constantine who was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313 which proclaimed religious tolerance of all religions throughout the empire.The foremost general of his time Constantine defeated the emperors Maxentius and Licinius during civil wars. He also fought successfully against the Franks Alamanni Visigoths and Sarmatians during his reigneven resettling parts of Dacia which had been abandoned during the previous century. Constantine built a new imperial residence in place of Byzantium naming it New Rome. However in Constantine's honour people called it Constantinople which would later be the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire for over one thousand years. Because of this he is thought of as the founder of the Eastern Roman Empire. Originally compiled by French historical writer Charles Le Beau the work was a continuation of Charles Rollin's Histoire Romaine and JBL Crevier's Histoire des empereurs. This later new edition is produced by M. De Saint-Martin a belletrist valued for his aesthetic qualities and originality of style and tone. This influencial work is considered to be faithful to Byzantine historians and the way in which it describes Constantine I refounding it as an imperial residence in 330 AD. With R. M. Beverley's armorial bookplate to the front pastedown of each volume author of "The Darwinian Theory of the Transmutation of Species". Complete in twenty-one volumes. Rebound in crushed morocco bindings with marbled boards and gilt lettering to the spines. Externally sound but with light rubbing to the boards and minor wear to extremities. Light shelfwear to the head and tail of spine. Volume twenty-one has some light damp staining to the front board. Volume fifteen and sixteen has light corrective fluid to the spine. Internally all are firmly bound and bright. Clean throughout aside from faint marginal tide marks to pages 466 and 467 to volume one and ink marks to text block edge of volume fifteen not encroaching on text. Ink stamp to front endpaper of volume one and armorial bookplate to the front pastedown of each volume. Very Good Indeed De L'Imprimerie de Firmin Didot hardcover