Outline of The History of The Decline and Fall of The Roman Empire - Volumes and Editions

Volumes and Editions

This massive work has been reprinted many times over the years in various editions.

• THE ORIGINAL was published between 1776 and 1789 in six volumes by the firm of Strahan & Cadell, in the Strand, London.
  • Volume I has a complex history of its own. It was published in six editions between 1776 and 1789. Three of the six contain authorial revisions, marked AR:
    • First editions, 1776 Feb 17 (a and b-AR), 1000 copies;
    • Second edition, 1776 June 3; 1500 copies;
    • Third edition, 1777 May (AR); 1000 copies;
    • Fourth edition, 1781 Apr 4 (AR);
    • Fifth editions, 1782 Apr 11 (a and b);
    • Sixth edition, 1789 Dec 1.
  • Volumes II, III were published together in three editions between 1781 and 1789:
    • First editions, 1781 Mar 1 (a and b; b sometimes called the second edition);
    • Second edition, 1787 (n/a);
    • Third edition, 1789 Dec 1. published with the sixth edition of volume one as a new set.
  • Volumes IV, V, VI were published together in one edition only: 1788 May 8; 3000 copies each.

• A one-volume edition with an "introductory memoir of the author" by William Youngman was published by J.O. Robinson (London, 1830).
• The 1838-1839 Rev. H.H. (Dean) Milman edition, the first English critical edition, was published in 12 volumes. A second Milman edition, which serves as the basis for most electronic and public domain versions such as the Gutenberg, was published in 1846 in 6 volumes.
• The original J.B. Bury edition (1896–1900) was 7 volumes.
• The 1946 Heritage Press edition of Bury's is three volumes. It divides the chapters into Volume 1: 1-26, Volume 2: 27-48, Volume 3: 49-71.
• The latest complete edition in 3 volumes was edited by David Womersley, and published by Allen Lane (London) and Penguin Press (New York) in 1994.