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Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance History

General History

Holds histories and primary sources on Greece, Rome, Byzantium, medieval Europe, the Mongols and Renaissance Italy.

52 books on Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance History, 1 of them tier 1, recommended by 22 people including Paul Graham and Patrick Collison.

52 books · 22 experts

Start here

  1. Lives of the ArtistsGiorgio Vasari, 1550
  2. Medieval Technology and Social ChangeLynn White, 1962
  3. History of the Peloponnesian WarThucydides, 1526
  4. The Anabasis: Or, Expedition of Cyrus, and the Memorabilis of SocratesXenophon, 1863
  5. Plutarch’s LivesPlutarch, 1870

The best books on Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance History 52

Lives of the ArtistsLives of the Artists
T1 Lives of the Artists
Giorgio Vasari · 1550
Vasari's lives; the origin of artistic reputation and its market
Open Library
“Vasari, Lives of the Artists”Paul Graham
Recommended byPaul Graham
Medieval Technology and Social ChangeMedieval Technology and Social Change
T3 Medieval Technology and Social Change
Lynn White · 1962
How the stirrup and the plough reorganised medieval society and economy
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick CollisonPaul Graham
History of the Peloponnesian WarHistory of the Peloponnesian War
T4 History of the Peloponnesian War
Thucydides · 1526
Open Library
“Thucydides on the Athenian-Spartan conflict is for Dalio a case study in what he calls the 'Thucydides trap' — the structural tension between a rising power and a dominant one. He references it in discussions of the US-China relationship.”Ray Dalio
Recommended byRyan HolidayMatt MullenwegRay DalioSatya Nadella
The Anabasis: Or, Expedition of Cyrus, and t
T4 The Anabasis: Or, Expedition of Cyrus, and the Memorabilis of Socrates
Xenophon · 1863
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
Plutarch’s Lives
T4 Plutarch’s Lives
Plutarch · 1870
Open Library
Recommended byRyan HolidaySusan J. Fowler
Early Middle English Literature
T4 Early Middle English Literature
R.M. Wilson · 1939
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
The Discovery of the MindThe Discovery of the Mind
T4 The Discovery of the Mind
Bruno Snell · 1953
Open Library
Recommended byTim O’Reilly
The Portable Medieval ReaderThe Portable Medieval Reader
T4 The Portable Medieval Reader
James Bruce Ross, Mary Martin McLaughlin · 1953
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
A History of Rome
T4 A History of Rome
Moses Hadas · 1956
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
The Ancient City: A Study on the Religion, L
T4 The Ancient City: A Study on the Religion, Laws, and Institutions of Greece and Rome
Numa Denis Fustel De Coulanges · 1956
Open Library
Recommended byMarc Andreessen
The Fall of Constantinople 1453The Fall of Constantinople 1453
T4 The Fall of Constantinople 1453
Steven Runciman · 1965
Open Library
“Runciman, The Fall of Constantinople”Paul Graham
Recommended byPaul Graham
The Outbreak of the Peloponnesian WarThe Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War
T4 The Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War
Donald Kagan · 1969
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-CenturyPainting and Experience in Fifteenth-Century Italy
T4 Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-Century Italy
Michael Baxandall · 1972
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
Murder TrialsMurder Trials
T4 Murder Trials
Cicero · 1975
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
The Conquest of GaulThe Conquest of Gaul
T4 The Conquest of Gaul
Julius Caesar · 1983
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
Diocletian and the Roman RecoveryDiocletian and the Roman Recovery
T4 Diocletian and the Roman Recovery
Stephen Williams · 1985
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
The Trial of SocratesThe Trial of Socrates
T4 The Trial of Socrates
I. F. Stone · 1988
Open Library
Recommended bySam Altman
The Quest for El CidThe Quest for El Cid
T4 The Quest for El Cid
Richard Fletcher · 1989
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
Intellectuals in the Middle AgesIntellectuals in the Middle Ages
T4 Intellectuals in the Middle Ages
Jacques Le Goff · 1992
Open Library
Recommended byNassim Nicholas Taleb
Towns, Villages and Countryside of Celtic EuTowns, Villages and Countryside of Celtic Europe
T4 Towns, Villages and Countryside of Celtic Europe
Francoise Audouze · 1992
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
The Civilization of the Middle AgesThe Civilization of the Middle Ages
T4 The Civilization of the Middle Ages
Norman F. Cantor · 1993
Open Library
Recommended byStewart Brand
The Making of EuropeThe Making of Europe
T4 The Making of Europe
Robert Bartlett · 1993
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
The Landmark ThucydidesThe Landmark Thucydides
T4 The Landmark Thucydides
Thucydides · 1996
Open Library
Recommended byStewart Brand
The Ancient CityThe Ancient City
T4 The Ancient City
Peter Connolly · 1998
Open Library
Recommended byBalaji S. SrinivasanPaul Graham
The Decline and Fall of the Roman EmpireThe Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
T4 The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Edward Gibbon · 2000
Open Library
“Gibbon remains one of Dalio's touchstones for studying imperial overextension. He cites Rome repeatedly in The Changing World Order as a template for how reserve-currency empires exhaust themselves through military spending, debasement, and internal polarization.”Ray Dalio
Recommended byStewart BrandRay Dalio
New Penguin Atlas of Ancient HistoryNew Penguin Atlas of Ancient History
T4 New Penguin Atlas of Ancient History
McEvedy · 2002
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
Alexander the Great's Art of Strategy: The TAlexander the Great's Art of Strategy: The Timeless Leadership Lessons of History's Greatest Empire
T4 Alexander the Great's Art of Strategy: The Timeless Leadership Lessons of History's Greatest Empire
Partha Bose · 2003
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern WoGenghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
T4 Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
Jack Weatherford · 2004
Open Library
Recommended byAusten AllredBen HorowitzDaymond JohnJustin KanTim Ferriss
The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, ScThe Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects
T4 The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects
Giorgio Vasari · 2005
Open Library
Recommended byRyan Holiday
The Past From AboveThe Past From Above
T4 The Past From Above
Charlotte Trumpler · 2005
Open Library
Recommended byStewart Brand
Moorish SpainMoorish Spain
T4 Moorish Spain
Richard Fletcher · 2006
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
Death in Florence: The Medici, Savonarola, aDeath in Florence: The Medici, Savonarola, and the Battle for the Soul of a Renaissance City
T4 Death in Florence: The Medici, Savonarola, and the Battle for the Soul of a Renaissance City
Paul Strathern · 2011
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
The Gallic WarsThe Gallic Wars
T4 The Gallic Wars
Julius Caesar · 2012
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
Michelangelo: His Epic LifeMichelangelo: His Epic Life
T4 Michelangelo: His Epic Life
Martin Gayford · 2013
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Genghis Khan: His Conquests, His Empire, HisGenghis Khan: His Conquests, His Empire, His Legacy
T4 Genghis Khan: His Conquests, His Empire, His Legacy
Frank McLynn · 2015
Open Library
Recommended byPatrick Collison
Memoirs or Chronicle of the Fourth Crusade aMemoirs or Chronicle of the Fourth Crusade and the Conquest of Constantinople
T4 Memoirs or Chronicle of the Fourth Crusade and the Conquest of Constantinople
Geoffrey de Villehardouin · 2015
Open Library
Recommended byPaul Graham
Game of Thrones versus HistoryGame of Thrones versus History
T4 Game of Thrones versus History
Brian A. Pavlac · 2017
Open Library
Recommended byAlexey Moiseenkov
Mortal RepublicMortal Republic
T4 Mortal Republic
Edward J. Watts · 2018
Open Library
Recommended byEvan Spiegel
Cicero: The Life and Times of Rome's GreatesCicero: The Life and Times of Rome's Greatest Politician
T4 Cicero: The Life and Times of Rome's Greatest Politician
unverified
Recommended byPatrick Collison
Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of NeroDying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero
T4 Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero
James Romm
unverified
Recommended byNat Eliason
English Society in the Early Middle Ages (10English Society in the Early Middle Ages (1066-1307) Vol. 3
T4 English Society in the Early Middle Ages (1066-1307) Vol. 3
unverified
Recommended byPatrick Collison
Itinerarium Regis Ricardi
T4 Itinerarium Regis Ricardi
T. M. Stead
unverified
Recommended byPaul Graham
Medieval Civilisation
T4 Medieval Civilisation
Jacques Le Goff
unverified
Recommended byStewart Brand
Medieval Civilization
T4 Medieval Civilization
Jacques Le Goff
unverified
Recommended byStewart Brand
Mohammed and Charlemagne
T4 Mohammed and Charlemagne
Henri Pirenne
unverified
Recommended byPaul Graham
On SpartaOn Sparta
T4 On Sparta
Plutarch
unverified
Recommended byRyan Holiday
The AlexiadThe Alexiad
T4 The Alexiad
unverified
Recommended byPatrick Collison
The Landmark HerodotusThe Landmark Herodotus
T4 The Landmark Herodotus
Herodotus
Open Library
Recommended byStewart Brand
The Landmark Herodotus: The Histories
T4 The Landmark Herodotus: The Histories
Robert B. Strassler (ed.)
unverified
Recommended byStewart Brand
The Makers of Rome: Nine Lives
T4 The Makers of Rome: Nine Lives
Plutarch
unverified
Recommended byRyan Holiday
VeniceVenice
T4 Venice
Frederic C. Lane
unverified
Recommended byStewart Brand
Venice, A Maritime RepublicVenice, A Maritime Republic
T4 Venice, A Maritime Republic
Frederic Chapin Lane
unverified
Recommended byStewart Brand

Experts 22

The people who wrote this page's books, and the people who recommend them.

Recommenders 22

Paul Grahamrecommends 18 books herePatrick Collisonrecommends 10 books hereStewart Brandrecommends 10 books hereRyan Holidayrecommends 5 books hereRay Daliorecommends 2 books here
MP
Mohnish Pabrairecommends 2 books hereBen Horowitzrecommends 1 book hereMarc Andreessenrecommends 1 book hereNassim Nicholas Talebrecommends 1 book here
AM
Alexey Moiseenkovrecommends 1 book here
AA
Austen Allredrecommends 1 book here
BS
Balaji S. Srinivasanrecommends 1 book here
Show all 22
Daymond Johnrecommends 1 book hereEvan Spiegelrecommends 1 book hereJustin Kanrecommends 1 book hereMatt Mullenwegrecommends 1 book here
NE
Nat Eliasonrecommends 1 book hereSam Altmanrecommends 1 book hereSatya Nadellarecommends 1 book here
SJ
Susan J. Fowlerrecommends 1 book hereTim Ferrissrecommends 1 book hereTim O’Reillyrecommends 1 book here
See all 22 in the Experts tab →

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