Best Roman / Byzantine Primary Sources (18 books)

I love nothing better than to sit down with a work by a classicizing or ecclesiastical historian of the 3rd through 8th century. Here are some of the best.

flag

All Votes Add Books To This List

1	History of the Wars, Volume III: Books 5-6.15 by Procopius 4.25 avg rating — 71 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
1	The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen: From AD 324 to AD 425 by Hermias Sozomen (Translator) 3.86 avg rating — 7 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	History of the Wars, Volume 5. Books 7.36-8. Gothic War by Procopius 4.24 avg rating — 62 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine: From 306 to AD 337 (Christian Roman Empire Series, 8) by Eusebius Pamphilus 3.61 avg rating — 168 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	History of the Wars, Volume I: Books 1-2 by Procopius 4.08 avg rating — 227 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	The Secret History by Procopius 3.83 avg rating — 3,419 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	The Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius: A History of the Church from AD 431 to AD 594 (Christian Roman Empire Series, 5) by Evagrius Scholasticus (Translator) 3.75 avg rating — 20 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	The Life of Saint Augustine: A Translation of the Sancti Augustini Vita by Possidius, Bishop of Calama (Christian Roman Empire Series) by Possidius really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 31 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	The History of the Church: From Christ to Constantine by Eusebius 4.01 avg rating — 4,860 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	The Chronicle of John, Bishop of Nikiu: Translated from Zotenberg's Ethiopic Text by R.H. Charles 3.62 avg rating — 8 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Chronicon Paschale 284-628 (Translated Texts for Historians Vol. 7) by Michael Whitby (Translator) 3.92 avg rating — 12 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	On Buildings by Procopius 3.70 avg rating — 56 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	History of the Wars, Volume IV. Books 6.16-7.35 Gothic War by Procopius 4.14 avg rating — 57 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	The Chronicle of Theophanes: Anni mundi 6095-6305 (A.D. 602-813) (The Middle Ages Series) by Harry Turtledove (Translator) 3.78 avg rating — 68 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	The History of Theophylact Simocatta: An English Translation With Introduction and Notes by Theophylact Simocatta 4.20 avg rating — 15 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Confessions by Augustine of Hippo really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 74,748 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	The Life of Saint Simeon Stylites: A Translation of the Syriac Text in Bedjam's Acta Martyrum Et Sanctorum, vol. 4 (Christian Roman Empire Series, 7) by Frederick Lent (Translator) 3.58 avg rating — 12 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	The Later Roman Empire (A.D. 354-378) by Ammianus Marcellinus 4.08 avg rating — 1,287 ratings score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars