Why is Edward Gibbon considered an Enlightenment historian?

Edward Gibbon is considered a quintessential Enlightenment historian because he successfully synthesized 17th-century erudition with the philosophy of the 18th century in his seminal work, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.1

His status as an Enlightenment thinker is defined by several key characteristics:

• Skepticism toward Religion: Gibbon treated religion as a phenomenon of human experience rather than divine revelation. His ironic, critical examination of Christianity’s rise reflected the secular, rationalist spirit of the era.12
• Philosophical Approach: Writing as a mid-18th-century philosopher, he viewed history through the lens of human progress and intellectual freedom. He interpreted the fall of Rome as a "triumph of barbarism and religion," marking a retrogression from the ideals of classical antiquity.2
• Wit and Style: His brilliant, lucid writing style helped cultivate a mass public for historical works, a hallmark of the Enlightenment’s effort to expand the reach of intellectual inquiry.12
• Rationalism: He applied a skeptical, empirical perspective to historical events, often seeking "natural" causes for the rise and fall of civilizations rather than relying on supernatural explanations.1