Best Books of the Ancient World (277 books)

Listopia > Best Books of the Ancient World

Add only books that were written in ancient times (before year AD 399) in any genre. From any part of the world.

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1	The Odyssey by Homer 3.83 avg rating — 1,202,537 ratings score: 11,136, and 114 people 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
2	The Iliad by Homer 3.93 avg rating — 513,548 ratings score: 10,773, and 111 people 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	The Epic of Gilgamesh by Anonymous 3.75 avg rating — 119,971 ratings score: 6,729, and 70 people 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 Republic by Plato 3.97 avg rating — 227,352 ratings score: 5,919, and 62 people 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	Meditations by Marcus Aurelius 4.28 avg rating — 355,021 ratings score: 5,289, and 56 people 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	Metamorphoses by Ovid 4.10 avg rating — 78,776 ratings score: 5,045, and 54 people 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 Aeneid by Virgil 3.87 avg rating — 144,398 ratings score: 4,879, and 52 people 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 Histories by Herodotus 4.01 avg rating — 55,936 ratings score: 4,654, and 49 people 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	Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu 4.29 avg rating — 183,587 ratings score: 4,639, and 49 people 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	Antigone (Theban Plays, #3) by Sophocles 3.69 avg rating — 178,303 ratings score: 4,394, and 46 people 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	The Oresteia: Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides by Aeschylus 4.02 avg rating — 47,197 ratings score: 4,267, and 46 people 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	Medea by Euripides 3.95 avg rating — 88,090 ratings score: 3,675, and 40 people 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	Oedipus Rex (The Theban Plays, #1) by Sophocles 3.73 avg rating — 238,724 ratings score: 3,551, and 38 people 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 Art of War by Sun Tzu 3.94 avg rating — 576,360 ratings score: 3,451, and 38 people 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	Aesop’s Fables by Aesop 4.05 avg rating — 129,950 ratings score: 3,294, and 36 people 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	The Bhagavad Gita by Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa 4.19 avg rating — 82,149 ratings score: 3,281, and 35 people 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	History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides 3.95 avg rating — 40,784 ratings score: 3,191, and 34 people 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	Apology by Plato 4.19 avg rating — 67,761 ratings score: 3,143, and 34 people 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
19	The Symposium by Plato 4.09 avg rating — 91,129 ratings score: 2,960, and 32 people 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
20	The Holy Bible: King James Version by Anonymous 4.45 avg rating — 320,420 ratings score: 2,890, and 30 people 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
21	The Twelve Caesars by Suetonius 4.03 avg rating — 22,960 ratings score: 2,471, and 27 people 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
22	Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus 3.94 avg rating — 21,820 ratings score: 2,369, and 27 people 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
23	The Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 60,969 ratings score: 2,236, and 25 people 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
24	Mahabharata by Anonymous 4.32 avg rating — 12,202 ratings score: 1,966, and 21 people 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
25	Letters from a Stoic by Seneca 4.32 avg rating — 57,380 ratings score: 1,963, and 22 people 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
26	The Analects by Confucius 3.80 avg rating — 24,189 ratings score: 1,874, and 21 people 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
27	Confessions by Augustine of Hippo really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 74,904 ratings score: 1,770, and 20 people 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
28	Jason and the Golden Fleece by Apollonius of Rhodes 3.82 avg rating — 11,486 ratings score: 1,581, and 19 people 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
29	The Complete Poems by Catullus 4.10 avg rating — 11,630 ratings score: 1,503, and 17 people 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
30	The Conquest of Gaul by Gaius Julius Caesar 4.02 avg rating — 13,667 ratings score: 1,439, and 16 people 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
31	The Satyricon by Petronius 3.77 avg rating — 9,749 ratings score: 1,420, and 17 people 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
32	The Golden Ass by Apuleius 3.85 avg rating — 17,341 ratings score: 1,341, and 16 people 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
33	The Persian Expedition by Xenophon 4.11 avg rating — 9,991 ratings score: 1,262, and 14 people 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
34	The Annals of Imperial Rome by Tacitus 3.99 avg rating — 9,341 ratings score: 1,208, and 14 people 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
35	Poems and Fragments by Sappho 4.17 avg rating — 11,491 ratings score: 1,200, and 14 people 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
36	Electra by Sophocles 3.82 avg rating — 14,362 ratings score: 1,197, and 15 people 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
37	The Agricola and The Germania by Tacitus 3.97 avg rating — 6,164 ratings score: 1,163, and 14 people 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
38	Theogony / Works and Days by Hesiod 3.76 avg rating — 16,630 ratings score: 1,160, and 14 people 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
39	Plutarch's Lives by Plutarch 4.17 avg rating — 2,069 ratings score: 1,116, and 12 people 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
40	Politics by Aristotle 3.98 avg rating — 43,082 ratings score: 1,089, and 13 people 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
41	Selected Works by Marcus Tullius Cicero 4.02 avg rating — 3,671 ratings score: 1,004, and 12 people 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
42	The History of Rome, Books 1-5: The Early History of Rome by Livy 3.96 avg rating — 9,920 ratings score: 991, and 12 people 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
43	The Trojan Women by Euripides 3.88 avg rating — 12,886 ratings score: 961, and 11 people 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
44	Ramayana by Vālmīki 4.19 avg rating — 5,359 ratings score: 942, and 10 people 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
45	Poetics by Aristotle 3.83 avg rating — 29,812 ratings score: 880, and 11 people 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
46	Civil War by Lucan 3.93 avg rating — 1,656 ratings score: 826, and 10 people 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
47	The I Ching or Book of Changes by Anonymous 4.19 avg rating — 20,870 ratings score: 789, and 9 people 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
48	Fragments by Heraclitus 4.18 avg rating — 8,005 ratings score: 787, and 10 people 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
49	The Campaigns of Alexander by Arrian 4.16 avg rating — 5,395 ratings score: 779, and 10 people 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
50	On Sparta by Plutarch 4.12 avg rating — 2,004 ratings score: 750, and 10 people 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
51	The Essential Writings by Epictetus 4.21 avg rating — 219 ratings score: 741, and 9 people 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
52	Caesar's Commentaries: On the Gallic War & On the Civil War by Gaius Julius Caesar 4.11 avg rating — 1,097 ratings score: 739, and 9 people 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
53	The Egyptian Book of the Dead by Anonymous 3.91 avg rating — 6,228 ratings score: 713, and 9 people 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
54	The Book of Job (Pocket Canon) by Anonymous 4.22 avg rating — 4,806 ratings score: 672, and 7 people 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
55	The Seven Against Thebes by Aeschylus 3.73 avg rating — 4,019 ratings score: 654, and 9 people 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
56	Phaedo by Plato 4.07 avg rating — 16,655 ratings score: 623, and 8 people 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
57	Zhuangzi by Chuang Tzu 4.35 avg rating — 3,315 ratings score: 622, and 7 people 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
58	The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Patañjali 4.26 avg rating — 4,462 ratings score: 551, and 6 people 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
59	Lysistrata by Aristophanes 3.86 avg rating — 53,796 ratings score: 539, and 7 people 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
60	The Later Roman Empire (A.D. 354-378) by Ammianus Marcellinus 4.08 avg rating — 1,287 ratings score: 521, and 6 people 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
61	Mencius by Mencius 3.85 avg rating — 1,957 ratings score: 520, and 6 people 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
62	Homeric Hymns by Homer 4.05 avg rating — 6,641 ratings score: 519, and 8 people 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
63	Women of Trachis by Sophocles 3.85 avg rating — 3,163 ratings score: 517, and 7 people 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
64	The Art of Love by Ovid 3.70 avg rating — 7,681 ratings score: 514, and 7 people 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
65	The Civil Wars by Appian 4.02 avg rating — 1,276 ratings score: 509, and 6 people 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
66	The Way Things Are by Lucretius 3.97 avg rating — 14,646 ratings score: 504, and 6 people 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
67	A History of My Times by Xenophon 4.03 avg rating — 3,400 ratings score: 500, and 7 people 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
68	Ajax by Sophocles 3.92 avg rating — 7,124 ratings score: 494, and 7 people 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
69	The Dhammapada by Anonymous 4.27 avg rating — 31,320 ratings score: 493, and 7 people 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
70	The Sixteen Satires by Juvenal 3.89 avg rating — 2,878 ratings score: 489, and 7 people 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
71	If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho by Sappho 4.43 avg rating — 21,922 ratings score: 488, and 5 people 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
72	The Rig Veda by Anonymous 3.92 avg rating — 1,750 ratings score: 486, and 6 people 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
73	The Rise of the Roman Empire by Polybius 4.06 avg rating — 4,873 ratings score: 485, and 6 people 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
73	The Fall of the Roman Republic by Plutarch 4.11 avg rating — 4,179 ratings score: 485, and 7 people 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
75	On the Good Life by Marcus Tullius Cicero really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2,102 ratings score: 468, and 7 people 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
76	Electra by Euripides 3.95 avg rating — 8,502 ratings score: 421, and 6 people 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
77	The Letters of the Younger Pliny by Pliny the Younger 3.92 avg rating — 2,034 ratings score: 405, and 6 people 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
77	Oedipus at Colonus (The Theban Plays, #2) by Sophocles 3.75 avg rating — 16,614 ratings score: 405, and 5 people 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
79	Philoctetes by Sophocles 3.90 avg rating — 5,256 ratings score: 395, and 6 people 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
80	The Song of Solomon (Bible, #22) by Anonymous 4.36 avg rating — 1,798 ratings score: 389, and 5 people 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
81	The Civil War by Gaius Julius Caesar 4.07 avg rating — 7,250 ratings score: 388, and 6 people 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
82	Germania by Tacitus 3.87 avg rating — 1,982 ratings score: 380, and 5 people 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
83	Gorgias by Plato 3.94 avg rating — 14,819 ratings score: 377, and 5 people 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
84	Kama Soetra by Mallanaga Vātsyāyana 3.45 avg rating — 6,923 ratings score: 357, and 4 people 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
85	The Mozi: A Complete Translation by Ian Johnston (Translator) 3.84 avg rating — 58 ratings score: 354, and 4 people 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
86	Records of the Grand Historian: Han Dynasty I by Sima Qian 4.18 avg rating — 146 ratings score: 348, and 4 people 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
87	Life of the Buddha (Clay Sanskrit Library, 10) by Ashvaghosha 3.95 avg rating — 252 ratings score: 341, and 4 people 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
87	Alcestis by Euripides 3.86 avg rating — 5,164 ratings score: 341, and 5 people 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
89	Idylls by Theocritus 3.84 avg rating — 734 ratings score: 337, and 4 people 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
90	Inanna, Lady of Largest Heart: Poems of the Sumerian High Priestess Enheduanna by Enheduanna 4.22 avg rating — 393 ratings score: 331, and 4 people 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
91	The Persians by Aeschylus 3.60 avg rating — 4,955 ratings score: 330, and 5 people 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
92	The Life of Alexander the Great by Plutarch 3.99 avg rating — 984 ratings score: 324, and 5 people 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
93	The Jewish War by Flavius Josephus really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 3,967 ratings score: 312, and 4 people 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
94	The History of Rome, Books 21-30: The War with Hannibal by Livy 4.15 avg rating — 3,784 ratings score: 302, and 4 people 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
95	The Tale of Sinuhe and Other Ancient Egyptian Poems, 1940-1640 B.C. by Unknown 3.75 avg rating — 431 ratings score: 301, and 4 people 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
96	The Upanishads by Anonymous 4.25 avg rating — 17,795 ratings score: 298, and 4 people 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
97	Archilochus, Sappho, Alkman: Three Lyric Poets of the Seventh Century B.C. by Guy Davenport (Translator) 4.11 avg rating — 53 ratings score: 292, and 4 people 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
98	Agamemnon (Oresteia, #1) by Aeschylus 3.84 avg rating — 22,827 ratings score: 291, and 4 people 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
99	The Library of Greek Mythology by Apollodorus of Athens 3.91 avg rating — 2,501 ratings score: 289, and 4 people 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
100	The Age of Alexander: Nine Greek Lives by Plutarch 4.22 avg rating — 1,959 ratings score: 286, and 5 people 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

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277 books · 294 voters · list created July 20th, 2010 by deleted user.

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Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.

People Who Voted On This List (294)

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads 3387 books
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Aleksandr 763 books
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Al 1058 books
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Sue 10186 books
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Tate 26 books
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Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) 546 books
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Thom 6022 books
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Jan 1308 books
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Comments Showing 1-26 of 26 (26 new)

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message 1: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (last edited Jan 06, 2012 06:14AM) (new)

Jan 03, 2012 12:21PM

If this is truly meant to be a list only for books written BC (or before year 1), Seneca and Epictetus would -- unfortunately -- have to go ...

Enrique, it's your list, though -- where do you want to draw the line?

ETA (Jan. 6): I see you amended the list description ... cool, so not only Seneca and Epictetus get to stay now but a few other great authors get to be included as well! :)

[Still too early for Augustine of Hippo, though ... :( (4th century AD)]

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message 2: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Jan 13, 2012 03:12PM

I guess St. Augustine is borderline; born in 354.

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message 3: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Jan 14, 2012 09:06AM

Susanna wrote: "I guess St. Augustine is borderline; born in 354."

With the once more amended list description (4th instead of 2nd century AD), I'd agree -- though ultimately I do view Augustine as early medieval as well.

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message 4: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Jul 19, 2013 12:39AM

Removed.

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message 5: by Melkor (new)

May 13, 2015 07:31PM

Why is the King James Bible on this list? If you want to put the torah or another translation that's fine but I think the inclusion of a 17th century book is a bit of a stretch. If we are setting a date to end this list I would go with 476 CE.

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message 6: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (last edited May 14, 2015 10:04AM) (new)

May 14, 2015 09:58AM

Removed:

The Riddle of the Labyrinth: The Quest to Crack an Ancient Code - it's about the ancient world, but is not an ancient text
The Guardians of Karma - blurb describes it as "science fiction fantasy about prehistoric times," first published in 2013
The Song of Achilles - historical fiction

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message 7: by Melkor (new)

May 14, 2015 01:16PM

Also Aspects of Ancient Institutions and Geography: Studies in Honor of Richard J.A. Talbert doesn't seem to belong on this list unless we want to include later histories such as Gibbon's works.

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message 8: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

May 15, 2015 12:09PM

Didn't see that one; will remove.

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message 9: by amaldae (new)

Jun 12, 2016 02:10PM

Removed:
Of the Andromeda Martian Catastrophe
Helen of Troy
Ghost on the Throne: The Death of Alexander the Great and the War for Crown and Empire
Purgatory Origins: Powers of Darkness
Zurga's Fire
Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth: Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer
Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West

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message 10: by April (new)

Jan 14, 2018 06:16PM

Hasso wrote: "Why is the King James Bible on this list? If you want to put the torah or another translation that's fine but I think the inclusion of a 17th century book is a bit of a stretch. If we are setting a..."

Or you could go with the actual bible of the actual church that Christ established - the Roman Catholic Bible.

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message 11: by Monty (last edited Sep 29, 2018 07:40AM) (new)

Sep 29, 2018 07:35AM

Deleted Aeschylus' "Agamemnon", "The Libation Bearers" and "The Eumenides" as they are already listed in the far more popular collected "The Oresteia".

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message 12: by Monty (last edited Sep 29, 2018 08:15AM) (new)

Sep 29, 2018 08:03AM

Deleted "The Oedipus Cycle" (aka "The Theban Plays"), as they are more popular individually than collected (more ratings and also are higher on this list than collected). Also deleted "Oedipus Rex and Antigone", collecting 2 of the 3.

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message 13: by Oxalis (new)

Nov 04, 2018 03:22PM

No Callimachus?

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message 14: by Monty (new)

Nov 04, 2018 04:03PM

Oxalis wrote: "No Callimachus?"

You, or anyone, can add books to the list.

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message 15: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Nov 04, 2018 05:56PM

At the top of the list, at the tab next to "all votes."

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message 16: by Oxalis (new)

Nov 06, 2018 07:30PM

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "At the top of the list, at the tab next to "all votes.""

Thanks! :-)

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message 17: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Jul 26, 2019 01:15PM

Deleted.

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message 18: by Georgi (new)

Mar 21, 2020 06:38AM

There is both "Lysistrata and Other Plays" and "Lysistrata" and "Four Plays: The Clouds/The Birds/Lysistrata/The Frogs" by Aristophanes.

For Aeschylus, there is "Prometheus Bound and Other Plays" and "Prometheus Bound".

For Plato, there is both "Apology", "Phaedo", "The Trial and Death of Socrates (Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo", etc. and " The Collected Dialogues" (containing all of the above.

Can someone please delete the duplicates?

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message 19: by Emrys (new)

Jun 05, 2021 05:08PM

Georgi wrote: "There is both "Lysistrata and Other Plays" and "Lysistrata" and "Four Plays: The Clouds/ThFour Plays: The Clouds/The Birds/Lysistrata/The Frogse Birds/Lysistrata/The Frogs" by Aristophanes.

For Aeschylus, there is "Prometheus Bound and Other Plays"..."

I deleted Lysistrata and Other Plays (which has The Acharnians/The Clouds/Lysistrata) and Four Plays: The Clouds/The Birds/Lysistrata/The Frogs

I added the single works that are subsequently missing: Lysistrata, The Clouds, The Birds, The Frogs, The Acharnians. I've not looked into your other suggestions yet.

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message 20: by Erin (last edited Aug 27, 2021 12:32PM) (new)

Aug 27, 2021 08:56AM

Most egregiously, the following are modern historical fiction and should be removed from this list:
#45) Zoroastrians' Fight for Survival by Widad Akreyi
#46) Females of Valor by Widad Akreyi
#59) Roots of To-Be Templars by Widad Akreyi
#134) Trinity by the Horns: A Tale of Gods & Bots by Prana Natarajan
#134) America is the True Old World: Mu Discovered by Amunhotep Chavis El-Bey

Also should be removed:
#26) Mahabharata retelling by William Buck (I added an actual translation of the original by Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa since I could not find it on the list)
#54) City of God by Augustine of Hippo (written in 426 C.E.; alternatively, the description could be altered to extend through the 5th century which I think is often given as a cut-off between ancient and medieval history)
#134) Symposium/The Phaedrus by Plato (each is already on the list individually)
#134) The Everyday I Ching by Sarah Dening (an actual translation of The I Ching or Book of Changes is already on the list making this redundant at best)
#152) The Life of Elizabeth I by Alison Weir

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message 21: by Erin (new)

Aug 27, 2021 12:49PM

Not directly related to this list but I don’t know where the else to post regarding the publication dates of the following books:

1) Records of the Grand Historian: Qin Dynasty and Records of the Grand Historian: Han Dynasty II by Sima Qian should have a publication date around -94 as Records of the Grand Historian: Han Dynasty I is more correctly listed.

2) The Golden Ass by Apuleius (c. 125 — c. 180 C.E.) should have a publication date in the 2nd century C.E.

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message 22: by Emrys (new)

Aug 31, 2021 01:55PM

Erin wrote: "Most egregiously, the following are modern historical fiction and should be removed from this list:
#45) Zoroastrians' Fight for Survival by Widad Akreyi
#46) Females of Valor..."</i>

I removed all those except [book:Mahabharata. That is an edition of the correct book, just not with the primary role as "Anonymous" or "Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa" (whoever is more appropriate) - I don't feel comfortable deleting it and adding a more appropriate edition like Mahabharata.

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message 23: by Emrys (new)

Aug 31, 2021 02:02PM

Erin wrote: "Not directly related to this list but I don’t know where the else to post regarding the publication dates of the following books:

1) Records of the Grand Historian: Qin Dynasty and [bo..."

I changed those Sima Qian works to -94 BC and The Golden Ass to 180 AD.

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message 24: by Emrys (last edited Aug 31, 2021 02:16PM) (new)

Aug 31, 2021 02:07PM

Georgi wrote: "There is both "Lysistrata and Other Plays" and "Lysistrata" and "Four Plays: The Clouds/The Birds/Lysistrata/The Frogs" by Aristophanes.

For Aeschylus, there is "Prometheus Bound and Other Plays"..."

I deleted Prometheus Bound and Other Plays (Prometheus Bound, The Suppliants, Seven Against Thebes, The Persians are already on the list separately).

I deleted The Trial and Death of Socrates as Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo are all on the list separately.

I'm reluctant to delete The Collected Dialogues as it may have parts that have not been added to the list separately ("Letters"? for example). But it could be replaced with: Plato: Complete Works?

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message 25: by Emrys (last edited Aug 31, 2021 02:40PM) (new)

Aug 31, 2021 02:25PM

Deleted The Bacchae and Other Plays as The Phoenician Women, The Bacchae, Iphigenia at Aulis (as Iphigenia in Aulis), Orestes, and Rhesus (as Rhesos) are on the list separately.

Deleted Medea & Bakchanten as Medea & The Bacchae are also on the list separately.

Deleted Ten Plays - Alcestis, Medea, Hippolytus, Andromache, Ion, The Trojan Women, Electra, Iphigenia Among the Taurians (as Iphigeneia in Tauris), The Bacchants (as The Bacchae), and Iphigenia at Aulis (as Iphigenia in Aulis) are on the list.

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message 26: by Erin (new)

Sep 12, 2021 07:44AM

Emrys wrote: "Erin wrote: "Not directly related to this list but I don’t know where the else to post regarding the publication dates of the following books:

1) [book:Records of the Grand Historian: Qin Dynasty|..."

Thank you! =)

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