"Antoninus diffused order and tranquillity over the greatest part of the earth. His reign is marked..."

By: vivian on domingo, junho 07, 2015

“Antoninus diffused order and tranquillity over the greatest part of the earth. His reign is marked by the rare advantage of furnishing very few materials for history; which is, indeed, little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind.”

-

historian Edward Gibbon’s succinct description of Antoninus Pius’ reign as Roman Emperor, 138 - 161 CE.  The quote is often shortened to “History…is indeed little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind.” From The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. 1 (1781)

Related post