This collection of diverse primary sources introduces students to the essential skill of reading historical sources.

Preface to the First Edition
Preface to the Second Edition
Preface to the Third Edition

Introduction for Students: An Example of How to Analyze a Primary Source
1. The Descent of Ishtar
2. The Code of Hammurabi
3. The Enuma Elish
4. Hymn to Aton
5. First Book of Kings, 15-19
6. Book of Job 1-14, 21-24, 38-42
7. Homer, The Iliad
8. Plutarch, Life of Solon
9. Plato, The Symposium
10. Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War
11. Plutarch, Life of Alexander the Great

12. Material Evidence Concerning the Greek World
12.1. Vase (detail) (Sixth Century BC)
12.2. The "Priam Painter," Hydria (c. 520-510 BC)
12.3. Kylix (detail) (c. 520-510 BC)
12.4. Kylix (detail), Attica (c. 490-480 BC)
12.5. Column Krater, Attica (c. 460 BC)
12.6. Funerary Vase (c. 440 BC)
12.7.1. House on Slope of the Areopagus (Fifth Century BC): Probable Functions of Rooms
12.7.2. House on Slope of the Areopagus (Fifth Century BC): Areas Used by Women and by Men
12.8. Polycleitus, Doryphorus (c. 440-435 BC)
12.9. Caryatid from the Erectheum, Athens (Roman copy; original late Fifth Century BC)
12.10. Praxiteles, Aphrodite of Cnidos (c. 350 BC)
12.11. Praxiteles, Hermes (c. 325 BC)
12.12. Crouching Aphrodite (Hellenistic)
12.13. Gaul (with His Wife) Killing Himself (c. 230-220 BC)
12.14. The Pharaoh Sesostris I (?) (Egypt, Second Millennium BC)
12.15. Queen Arsinoë II (Egypt, c. 210 BC)
12.16. Queen Cleopatra (possibly Cleopatra VII) (Egypt, 200-30 BC)
12.17. Agesander, Athenodorus, and Polydorus of Rhodes, Lacoön and His Sons (c. 125 BC)
12.18. Market Woman (First Century BC)

13. Vergil, The Aeneid
14. Augustus, The Deeds of the Divine Augustus

15. Pliny the Younger, Letters
15.1. To Junius Mauricus
15.2. To Acilius
15.3. To Trajan
15.4. Trajan’s Reply
15.5. To Trajan
15.6. To Trajan
15.7. Trajan’s Reply
15.8. To Trajan
15.9. Trajan’s Reply

16. Letter from Apion
17. Inscription from Mactar
18. Book of Matthew 3-9.32
19. John, Book of Revelation 15-20
20. Perpetua and Others, The Martyrdom of Saint Perpetua
21. Diocletian’s Edict on Prices
22. Augustine, Confessions
23. Tacitus, De Germania

24. Sidonius Apollinaris, Letters
24.1. To Donidius
24.2. To Bishop Lupus
24.3. To Magnus Felix
24.4. To Ecdicius
24.5. To Arbogast

25. Benedict of Nursia, The Rule
26. Einhard, Life of Charlemagne
27. The Dooms of King Alfred

28. Gregory VII, Henry IV, and the German Bishops, Documents
28.1. Gregory VII, The Dictatus Papae ¿
28.2. Letter of Gregory VII to Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor ¿
28.3. Letter of Henry IV to Gregory VII¿¿
28.4. Letter of Bishops in Germany to Gregory VII¿¿
28.5. First Deposition and Banning of the Emperor Henry IV by Gregory VII¿¿

29. Speech of Urban II at the Council of Clermont: Two Accounts¿¿
29.1. Account of Fulcher of Chartres¿¿
29.2. Account of Robert the Monk¿¿

30. Fulcher of Chartres, Historia Hierosolymitana
31. Ibn al-Althir, The Complete History
32. Usamah Ibn-Munqidh, The Book of Contemplation

33. Two Letters from Crusaders¿¿
33.1. Letter of Anselm of Ribemont to Manasses II, Archbishop of Reims¿¿
33.2. Letter from Stephen, Count of Blois, to Adele, His Wife¿

34. Letter of Prester John
35. Magna Cartä

36. Documents from the County of Champagne
36.1. Charter of the Count Thibaut III of Champagne
36.2. Charter of Simon, lord of Châteauvillain
36.3. Charter of Count Thibaut V to Renaud of Bar-le-Duc
36.4. Decree of King Philip IV ("the fair") of France
36.5. Notice from agents of King Philip IV of France
36.6. Charter of Count Thibaut V
36.7. Count Henry of Champagne establishes of village
36.8. Announcement of Countess Blanche of Champagne and Count Thibaut IV of a tax on the Jews
36.9. Countess Blanche of Castile’s announcement regarding women’s inheritance of castles
36.10. Statement of nobles of Champagne regarding royal taxation

37. Robert Grosseteste, Letter to Margaret de Quency, countess of Winchester, regarding Jews and Tithes

38. Court Rolls of the Abbots of Ramsey and Battle¿¿
38.1. Court Roll of the Abbot of Ramsey for the Manor of Elton¿¿
38.2. Court Roll of the Abbot of Battle for the Manor of Brightwaltham¿¿

39. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Contra Gentiles¿¿
40. Ralph of Shrewsbury, Letter¿¿
41. City Officials of Cologne, Letter¿¿
42. English Statute of 1363 on Food and Clothing¿¿

43. Petrarch, Letters of Familiar Intercourse¿¿
43.1. To His Friend Socrates¿¿
43.2. To Tomasso da Messinä¿
43.3. To Marcus Tullius Cicero¿¿

44. Christine de Pizan, The Book of the Body Politic
45. Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince¿¿

46. Desiderius Erasmus, Letters¿¿
46.1. To Anne of Borselle¿¿
46.2. To Jacobus Battus¿¿
46.3. To Pope Leo X¿¿
46.4. To Lambertus Grunnius¿¿
46.5. Lambertus Grunnius to Erasmus¿¿
46.6. To Cardinal Wolsey¿¿
46.7. To Henry Bullock¿¿

47. Martin Luther, Letters¿¿
47.1. To George Spalatin¿¿
47.2. To Paul Speratus¿
47.3. To George Spalatin¿¿
47.4. To Wolfgang Reissenbusch¿¿
47.5. To George Spalatin¿¿

48. Teresa of Avila, Spiritual Testimonies 
48.1. No. 22. Eucharistic experience
48.2. No. 25. The nature of union
48.3. No. 26. Do not renounce what awakens love
48.4. No. 31. Spiritual Marriage
48.5. No. 32 The way of suffering and love
48.6. No. 47 The value of good works
48.7. No. 64 Counsels for the Discalced Fathers

49. The Florentine Codex
50. Articles of the Catholic League¿¿
51. Michel de Montaigne, Essays¿¿
51.1. On Cannibals¿
51.2. That It Is Folly to Measure Truth and Error by Our Own Capacity¿¿

Sources¿¿
Index of Topics