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Arms Quote by Edward Gibbon

“The dark cloud, which had been cleared by the Phoenician discoveries, and finally dispelled by the arms of Caesar, again settled on the shores of the Atlantic, and a Roman province [Britain] was again lost among the fabulous Islands of the Ocean.” quote by Edward Gibbon
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“The dark cloud, which had been cleared by the Phoenician discoveries, and finally dispelled by the arms of Caesar, again settled on the shores of the Atlantic, and a Roman province [Britain] was again lost among the fabulous Islands of the Ocean.”

Edward Gibbon

About This Quote

Source Book: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1776

The Roman grip on Britain waned, and the island returned to mythic isolation after earlier conquests.

In simple terms: Britain slipped from Roman control.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the cyclical rise and fall of empires.

Themes

history imperialism mythology

Mood

reflective melancholic

Type

historical analytical

When to use this quote

  • colonial expansion
  • military campaigns
  • regional governance

Key Concepts

political power cultural diffusion geopolitics

Questions to Reflect On

  • What factors cause empires to lose distant provinces?
  • How does myth shape our view of historical loss?
A Different Perspective

Even after conquest, control can be fleeting.

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