Some of the enslavers go to church though
Some of them pass out the offering plate
Some of them even call themselves deacon amongst their fellow deacons
"The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" by Edward Gibbon is a monumental work of history that covers the long and complex period of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, from the 2nd century CE to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Gibbon's work is divided into six volumes, each of which explores different aspects of the period in question.
In Volume One, Gibbon provides a background to the Roman Empire, from its founding to the time of the Antonine emperors. In Volume Two, he covers the rise of Christianity and its impact on the Roman Empire. Volume Three deals with the period of the barbarian invasions, and the various Germanic and Asiatic tribes that invaded the Roman Empire in the 4th and 5th centuries.
Volume Four covers the period from the reign of Justinian to the rise of Islam, while Volume Five deals with the end of the Eastern Empire and the rise of the Holy Roman Empire. Volume Six provides an overview of the Turkish conquests of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the final fall of Constantinople in 1453.
Throughout the work, Gibbon provides a detailed analysis of the various factors that contributed to the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, including political corruption, military decay, economic instability, and the rise of Christianity. He also situates the fall of Rome in the broader context of world history, and makes extensive use of primary sources to support his arguments.
Gibbon's work is widely regarded as a classic of historical scholarship, and his prose style has been praised for its elegance and clarity. However, his analysis of the causes of the Roman Empire's decline and fall has been criticized by some modern historians for being excessively focused on the role of Christianity and for neglecting other factors.