Edward Gibbon, an English historian, published The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire in six volumes between 1776 and 1788. This is Chapter 17 of that work. He follows Rome from the prosperous age of Trajan and the Antonines, around the year 100, through the fall of the West and on to the Ottoman capture of Constantinople in 1453.

Chapter 17 takes up foundation of Constantinople—Political system of Constantine, and his successors—Military discipline—The palace—The finances. The footnotes are not in this reading; what you have is the narrative.