by Edward R. Gibbons The Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire was first published in 1787. It has been the classic history of the Roman Empire which still stands to this day as an unsurpassed accomplishment. Here you will find the complete original edition, in all six volumes. Volume 1 Volume 2 Volume 3 Volume 4 […]

The History of Financial Panics By Martin A. Armstrong Throughout time, the economy of mankind has swung back and forth between some fantastic periods of prosperity and deep dark depressions. It is our failure to understand this mechanism that often drives the politics of the world also between two extremes of totalitarian regimes and communism […]

Writings 2008 Armstrong Economics: We Are Alone(Martin Armstrong, 12/18/08) Armstrong Economics: The Collapse of Capitalism (Martin Armstrong, 12/11/08) Armstrong Economics: The Coming Great Depression (Martin Armstrong, 12/04/08) Armstrong Economics: Economic Suicide(Martin Armstrong, 12/08) Armstrong Economics: The “New” Laws of Global Eonomics(Martin Armstrong, 11/26/08) Armstrong Economics: Can We Eliminate Income Tax?(Martin Armstrong, 11/10/08)

Writings 1999 Armstrong Economics: What Will Tomorrow Bring(Martin Armstrong, 11/19/99) Armstrong Economics: The Business Cycle and the Future(Martin Armstrong, 09/26/99)

Monetary History of the World 350-250BC by Martin A. Armstrong The Rise of Alexander the Great The Greek world was now ripe for plunder. On its fringes, two great powers were emerging – that of Rome and Macedonia. Macedonia was the home of Philip II (359-336 BC). It was an area in Greece that occupies […]

Monetary History of the World 450-350 BC by Martin A. Armstrong The Battle of Marathon and the Monetary System The Persian invasion of the Greeks in Asia Minor, under which Lydia fell to King Cyrus, marked the beginning of the legendary struggle between the Greeks and the Persians. The Greek cities in Asia Minor finally […]

Monetary History of the World 550-450BC by Martin A. Armstrong It is generally assumed that Aigina was the first city to mint coins as this new invention spread westward from Asia Minor. Aigina is an island not far off the cost of Athens between the Peloponnese and Attica. The Aiginetic standard was based on a […]

Monetary History of the World 700-550BC By Martin A. Armstrong Only since about 700 B.C. do we find a consistent record of the monetary system of the world. The credit for the creation of an official coinage system belongs to the Ionians or Lydians within the Greek Empire of Asia Minor – modern day Turkey. […]

The Origins of Money Chapter III By Martin A. Armstrong The Birth of Coinage The Importance of Weight As trade between regions and nations gradually began to expand, some form of international trade would have been necessary. It is perhaps because of this primary reason that ultimately money among trading nations at least tended to […]

The Origins of Money Chapter II By Martin A. Armstrong Money and the Evolution of Banking While prostitution has long been regarded as the first profession and lawyers as close second, the banking profession is clearly the third oldest known to humankind. The invention of banking preceded that of coinage by several thousand years. Banking […]