Books BCE

1.
The Odyssey
The Odyssey
by: Homer
3.82 avg rating β€” 1,156,806 ratings
2.
The Iliad
The Iliad
by: Homer
3.92 avg rating β€” 494,735 ratings
3.
The Epic of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh
by: Anonymous
3.75 avg rating β€” 114,199 ratings
4.
Aesop’s Fables
Aesop’s Fables
by: Aesop
4.05 avg rating β€” 128,595 ratings
5.
The Art of War
The Art of War
by: Sun Tzu
3.95 avg rating β€” 550,686 ratings
6.
Tao Te Ching
Tao Te Ching
by: Lao Tzu
4.29 avg rating β€” 176,962 ratings
7.
The Republic
The Republic
by: Plato
3.96 avg rating β€” 220,236 ratings
8.
The Histories
The Histories
by: Herodotus
4.01 avg rating β€” 54,684 ratings
9.
The Aeneid
The Aeneid
by: Virgil
3.87 avg rating β€” 139,155 ratings
10.
Oedipus Rex (The Theban Plays, #1)
Oedipus Rex (The Theban Plays, #1)
by: Sophocles
3.72 avg rating β€” 232,036 ratings
11.
Poems and Fragments
Poems and Fragments
by: Sappho
4.17 avg rating β€” 10,975 ratings
12.
The Nicomachean Ethics
The Nicomachean Ethics
by: Aristotle
really liked it 4.00 avg rating β€” 57,322 ratings
13.
History of the Peloponnesian War
History of the Peloponnesian War 3.94 avg rating β€” 39,938 ratings
14.
The Symposium
The Symposium
by: Plato
4.09 avg rating β€” 85,865 ratings
15.
Lysistrata
Lysistrata 3.87 avg rating β€” 52,374 ratings
16.
The Conquest of Gaul
The Conquest of Gaul 4.01 avg rating β€” 13,201 ratings
17.
Antigone (The Theban Plays, #3)
Antigone (The Theban Plays, #3)
by: Sophocles
3.68 avg rating β€” 170,488 ratings
18.
The Persian Expedition
The Persian Expedition
by: Xenophon
4.12 avg rating β€” 9,589 ratings
19.
On the Nature of the Universe
On the Nature of the Universe
by: Lucretius
3.97 avg rating β€” 14,247 ratings
20.
Enuma Elish: The Seven Tablets of the History of Creation
Enuma Elish: The Seven Tablets of the History of Creation
by: Unknown
3.83 avg rating β€” 1,645 ratings
21.
Medea
Medea
by: Euripides
3.95 avg rating β€” 84,396 ratings
22.
The Analects
The Analects
by: Confucius
3.81 avg rating β€” 23,511 ratings
23.
Conversations of Socrates
Conversations of Socrates
by: Xenophon
4.05 avg rating β€” 2,905 ratings
24.
The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana
The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana 3.45 avg rating β€” 6,795 ratings
25.
The History of Rome, Books 1-5: The Early History of Rome
The History of Rome, Books 1-5: The Early History of Rome
by: Livy
3.96 avg rating β€” 9,759 ratings
26.
The History of Rome, Books 6-10: Rome and Italy
The History of Rome, Books 6-10: Rome and Italy
by: Livy
4.15 avg rating β€” 1,508 ratings
27.
The Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita 4.19 avg rating β€” 78,231 ratings
28.
Story of Sinuhe
Story of Sinuhe
by: Unknown
3.57 avg rating β€” 203 ratings
29.
The Voyage of Argo
The Voyage of Argo 3.83 avg rating β€” 11,059 ratings
30.
The Civil War
The Civil War 4.07 avg rating β€” 7,110 ratings
31.
Princess, Priestess, Poet: The Sumerian Temple Hymns of Enheduanna
Princess, Priestess, Poet: The Sumerian Temple Hymns of Enheduanna 4.19 avg rating β€” 67 ratings
32.
Lament for Ur
Lament for Ur
by: Anonymous
3.53 avg rating β€” 32 ratings
33.
The Book of Chuang Tzu
The Book of Chuang Tzu
by: Zhuangzi
4.35 avg rating β€” 3,174 ratings
34.
The Art of Love
The Art of Love
by: Ovid
3.71 avg rating β€” 7,287 ratings
35.
The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts
The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts 3.90 avg rating β€” 62 ratings
35.
The Code of Hammurabi
The Code of Hammurabi
by: Hammurabi
3.51 avg rating β€” 1,325 ratings
37.
Writings from Ancient Egypt
Writings from Ancient Egypt
by: Anonymous
4.09 avg rating β€” 373 ratings
38.
The History of Rome, Books 31-45: Rome and the Mediterranean
The History of Rome, Books 31-45: Rome and the Mediterranean
by: Livy
4.18 avg rating β€” 473 ratings
39.
The Seven Against Thebes
The Seven Against Thebes
by: Aeschylus
3.73 avg rating β€” 3,771 ratings
40.
Debate Between Bird and Fish
Debate Between Bird and Fish
by: Unknown
3.54 avg rating β€” 37 ratings
41.
The Rise of the Roman Empire
The Rise of the Roman Empire
by: Polybius
4.06 avg rating β€” 4,810 ratings
42.
The Instructions of Shuruppak
The Instructions of Shuruppak
by: Anonymous
3.50 avg rating β€” 128 ratings
43.
Westcar Papyrus
Westcar Papyrus
by: Unknown
3.19 avg rating β€” 31 ratings
44.
The Frogs
The Frogs 3.79 avg rating β€” 9,016 ratings
45.
The Laws of Plato
The Laws of Plato
by: Plato
4.05 avg rating β€” 2,931 ratings
46.
The Egyptian Book of the Dead
The Egyptian Book of the Dead
by: Anonymous
3.91 avg rating β€” 5,992 ratings
47.
The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor
The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor
by: Unknown
3.36 avg rating β€” 55 ratings
48.
Agememnon
Agememnon
by: Aeschylus
3.84 avg rating β€” 22,034 ratings
49.
Politics
Politics
by: Aristotle
3.98 avg rating β€” 41,885 ratings
49.
Records of the Grand Historian: Han Dynasty II
Records of the Grand Historian: Han Dynasty II
by: Sima Qian
4.29 avg rating β€” 73 ratings
51.
The Mahabharata (Mahabharata, #1)
The Mahabharata (Mahabharata, #1) 4.45 avg rating β€” 907 ratings
51.
Records of the Grand Historian: Qin Dynasty
Records of the Grand Historian: Qin Dynasty
by: Sima Qian
4.34 avg rating β€” 211 ratings
53.
The Complete Rig Veda [Unabridged]
The Complete Rig Veda [Unabridged]
by: Anonymous
3.92 avg rating β€” 1,701 ratings
54.
The Kesh Temple Hymn
The Kesh Temple Hymn
by: Unknown
2.99 avg rating β€” 72 ratings
55.
Clouds
Clouds 3.61 avg rating β€” 11,488 ratings
56.
Oedipus at Colonus (The Theban Plays, #2)
Oedipus at Colonus (The Theban Plays, #2)
by: Sophocles
3.75 avg rating β€” 15,990 ratings
57.
The History of Rome, Books 21-30: The War with Hannibal
The History of Rome, Books 21-30: The War with Hannibal
by: Livy
4.15 avg rating β€” 3,750 ratings
58.
Tusculan Disputations
Tusculan Disputations 4.03 avg rating β€” 499 ratings
59.
Theogony
Theogony
by: Hesiod
3.73 avg rating β€” 6,330 ratings
60.
Ishtar's Descent into the Underworld
Ishtar's Descent into the Underworld
by: Anonymous
4.19 avg rating β€” 26 ratings
61.
Complete Jewish Bible : An English Version of the Tanakh (Old Testament) and B'Rit Hadashah
Complete Jewish Bible : An English Version of the Tanakh (Old Testament) and B'Rit Hadashah
by: Anonymous
4.50 avg rating β€” 1,436 ratings
62.
Records of the Grand Historian: Han Dynasty I
Records of the Grand Historian: Han Dynasty I
by: Sima Qian
4.17 avg rating β€” 139 ratings
63.
The Bacchae
The Bacchae
by: Euripides
3.93 avg rating β€” 24,377 ratings
64.
Inanna, Lady of Largest Heart: Poems of the Sumerian High Priestess Enheduanna
Inanna, Lady of Largest Heart: Poems of the Sumerian High Priestess Enheduanna 4.23 avg rating β€” 375 ratings
65.
The Upanishads
The Upanishads
by: Anonymous
4.25 avg rating β€” 17,331 ratings
66.
The maxims of Ptah-hotep: Humankind's earliest wisdom literature
The maxims of Ptah-hotep: Humankind's earliest wisdom literature 4.16 avg rating β€” 443 ratings
67.
Electra
Electra
by: Sophocles
3.82 avg rating β€” 13,851 ratings
68.
The Reforms of Urukagina
The Reforms of Urukagina
by: Urukagina
3.33 avg rating β€” 21 ratings
69.
The Atra-Hasis: The Babylonian Story of the Flood
The Atra-Hasis: The Babylonian Story of the Flood
by: Anonymous
3.76 avg rating β€” 169 ratings
70.
Lipit-Ishtar Code
Lipit-Ishtar Code 3.15 avg rating β€” 13 ratings
71.
The Misadventures of Wenamun
The Misadventures of Wenamun
by: Anonymous
3.08 avg rating β€” 13 ratings
72.
The Eridu Genesis
The Eridu Genesis
by: Unknown
3.47 avg rating β€” 32 ratings
73.
Ajax
Ajax
by: Sophocles
3.92 avg rating β€” 6,783 ratings
74.
The I Ching or Book of Changes
The I Ching or Book of Changes
by: Anonymous
4.19 avg rating β€” 20,537 ratings
74.
The Book of Songs: The Ancient Chinese Classic of Poetry
The Book of Songs: The Ancient Chinese Classic of Poetry 3.97 avg rating β€” 289 ratings
74.
The Dhammapada
The Dhammapada
by: Anonymous
4.27 avg rating β€” 30,410 ratings
77.
The Tale of the Poor Man of Nippur
The Tale of the Poor Man of Nippur 3.75 avg rating β€” 32 ratings
77.
Heroides
Heroides
by: Ovid
4.12 avg rating β€” 3,719 ratings
79.
Medea & Bakchanten
Medea & Bakchanten
by: Euripides
4.01 avg rating β€” 106 ratings
80.
Cyclops
Cyclops
by: Euripides
3.58 avg rating β€” 1,384 ratings
81.
Philippics (Cicero, Vol 15)
Philippics (Cicero, Vol 15) 3.81 avg rating β€” 232 ratings
81.
The Curse of Agade
The Curse of Agade 3.44 avg rating β€” 16 ratings
81.
The Persians
The Persians
by: Aeschylus
3.48 avg rating β€” 391 ratings
81.
The Ramayana
The Ramayana 4.07 avg rating β€” 13,010 ratings
85.
The legend of Etana
The legend of Etana 3.43 avg rating β€” 23 ratings
86.
Enmerkar and The Lord of Aratta
Enmerkar and The Lord of Aratta
by: Unknown
3.50 avg rating β€” 52 ratings
86.
Mencius
Mencius
by: Mencius
3.84 avg rating β€” 1,882 ratings
88.
O Banquete
O Banquete
by: Plato
4.09 avg rating β€” 85,865 ratings
89.
The Code of Ur-Nammu
The Code of Ur-Nammu
by: Ur-Nammu
3.40 avg rating β€” 20 ratings
90.
PoΓ©tica
PoΓ©tica
by: Aristotle
3.83 avg rating β€” 28,477 ratings
91.
MΓͺnon (Bibliotheca Antiqua, #1)
MΓͺnon (Bibliotheca Antiqua, #1)
by: Plato
3.93 avg rating β€” 9,940 ratings
92.
Voices from Ancient Egypt: An Anthology of Middle Kingdom Writings
Voices from Ancient Egypt: An Anthology of Middle Kingdom Writings 4.25 avg rating β€” 28 ratings
93.
Loyalist Instructions
Loyalist Instructions 3.40 avg rating β€” 5 ratings
94.
Electra
Electra
by: Euripides
3.95 avg rating β€” 8,157 ratings
95.
The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant (Griffith Institute Publications)
The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant (Griffith Institute Publications)
by: Unknown
3.66 avg rating β€” 71 ratings
96.
The Marriage of Nergal and Ereshkigal
The Marriage of Nergal and Ereshkigal
by: Anonymous
3.09 avg rating β€” 11 ratings
97.
Code of the Nesilim
Code of the Nesilim
by: Anonymous
really liked it 4.00 avg rating β€” 8 ratings
98.
Der Krieg Mit Jugurtha / Bellum Iugurthinum
Der Krieg Mit Jugurtha / Bellum Iugurthinum
by: Sallust
3.65 avg rating β€” 198 ratings
99.
The Laws of Eshnunna
The Laws of Eshnunna
by: Unknown
3.42 avg rating β€” 12 ratings
100.
Dispute Between a Man and His Ba
Dispute Between a Man and His Ba
by: Anon
3.94 avg rating β€” 50 ratings
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