"History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 2" by Edward Gibbon is a historical work published in 1781. This second volume continues Gibbon's monumental chronicle of Rome's transformation and decline. Covering the period from 98 to 1590, the work examines the Roman Empire's peak, early Christianity's rise to state religion, barbarian invasions, and Byzantium's eventual fall. Gibbon attributes Rome's collapse to the gradual loss of civic virtue and Christianity's influence, presenting his thesis with detached yet critical prose that sparked enduring controversy.