Barbarism and Religion: Volume 4, Barbarians, Savages and Empires

The fourth volume of Barbarism and Religion, first published in 2005, which focuses on eighteenth-century Europe.

J. G. A. Pocock (Author)

9780521856256, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 27 October 2005

388 pages
23.6 x 16.3 x 2.8 cm, 0.74 kg

'This book's challenging combination of Gibbonian study with history, historiography and philosophy carries Prof. Pocock's work onto a new level and one that will deepen the reader's understanding of all four.' Contemporary Review

'Barbarism and Religion' - Edward Gibbon's own phrase - is the title of a sequence of works by John Pocock designed to situate Gibbon, and his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, in a series of contexts in the history of eighteenth-century Europe. In the fourth volume in the sequence, first published in 2005, Pocock argues that barbarism was central to the history of western historiography, to the history of the Enlightenment, and to Edward Gibbon himself. As a concept it was deeply problematic to Enlightened historians seeking to understand their own civilised societies in the light of exposure to newly discovered civilisations which were, until then, beyond the reach of history itself.

Acknowledgements
List of abbreviations
Introduction
Part I. The History and Theory of Barbarism: 1. Introducing the barbarian: problems of barbarism and religion
2. Anquetil-Duperron: despotism and prophecy in Sassanid Persia
3. Antoine-Yves Goguet: the Confusion of Tongues and the origins of civility
4. Thomas Carte: Japhetic settlers in the western islands
5. The first Germans: lethargy and passion in a transhumant culture
Part II. Joseph de Guignes and the Discovery of Eurasia: 6. Gentile history in the further Asia
7. The many faces of Fo: the problem of religion in Eurasian history
8. Hans, Huns and Romans: the rhythms of barbarism and empire
Part III. The New World and the Problem of History: 9. The invention and discovery of savagery
10. Robertson's America: the Scottish theoretical encounter with the New World
11. The universe of savagery and the search for history
12. Ancient history for modern settlers: the response to Robertson
Part IV. The Crisis of the Seaborne Empires: 13. European history and the global ocean
14. The antiquity of Asia: legislators, priests and the tragedy of history
15. American savages and European barbarians: the invasion of the natural world
16, Slaves and settlers: the sugar islands in the new geopolitics
17. Utopia and revolution: the northern continent in history
Conclusion
18. Gibbon and the Empires
Envoi
Bibliography of works cited
Index.

Subject Areas: History of ideas [JFCX], Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700 [HBLH], European history [HBJD]