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 43 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 43 takes up rebellions of Africa—Restoration of the Gothic kingdom by Totila—Loss and recovery of Rome—Final conquest of Italy by Narses—Extinction of the Ostrogoths—Defeat of the Franks and Alemanni—Last victory, disgrace, and death of Belisarius—Death and character of Justinian—Comet, earthquakes, and plague. The footnotes are not in this reading; what you have is the narrative.