Sources for the History of Western Civilization

Michael Burger is a professor of history at Auburn University at Montgomery.

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 Carta 

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 Messina  
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