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Roman Chant
Old Roman Chant is the liturgical plainchant tradition of the early Christian Church in Rome. It is regarded as the direct precursor of Gregorian chant, forming a core component of the Roman Rite. Its melodies and traditions took shape before the seventh century, transmitted primarily through oral tradition, and later notated between the 11th and 13th centuries. The practice developed in the context of Rome’s central
PeopleRoman Chant
Roman Chant, whose principal source is the Book of Psalms, helped develop the Western idea of the interior self. This interior moral freedom becomes the seed of later ideas of individual rights and freedom of conscience. Chant transmitted the belief that every human being has equal worth before God and the idea of a law higher than kings. It shaped the foundation of the civilization that later articulated human rights and constitutional government.
PeopleAmbrose
• Champion of Church Independence: Ambrose stood firm on the principle that the emperor was subject to the Church in spiritual matters. His most famous confrontation was with Emperor Theodosius, whom he refused to admit to communion until the emperor repented publicly for a massacre.
PeoplePlutarch
Plutarch (Greek: Πλούταρχος, Latin: Plutarchus) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. Born around 46 CE in Chaeronea, Boeotia (central Greece), he came from a prominent local family and received an education, studying philosophy, rhetoric, and ethics in Athens. Plutarch traveled widely, including at least one visit to Rome, where he me
PeopleAeschylus
Aeschylus was an ancient Greek playwright known for writing powerful tragedies. He is often referred to as the “father of tragedy” for his transformative contributions to the development of Greek theater, particularly in the area of tragedy. Aeschylus was born around 525 BCE in Eleusis, a small town near Athens.
PeopleArchimedes
Genius of Mathematical Discovery : Archimedes, a Greek mathematician and inventor, is celebrated for his groundbreaking contributions to geometry, calculus, and physics, including the principles of buoyancy and the lever.
PeopleAristotle
Aristotle was born in 384 BCE in Stagira, a Greek city on the Chalcidic peninsula of Macedonia. His father, Nicomachus, was a physician to King Amyntas III of Macedon, providing Aristotle with early exposure to medicine and natural philosophy. After his father’s death, Aristotle moved to Athens at age seventeen, where he became a student at Plato’s Academy. He remained there for two decades, deeply engaging with Plat
PeopleBlackstone
William Blackstone was an English jurist, judge, and legal scholar of the 18th century. He is widely known as the author of the “Commentaries on the Laws of England,” the most influential legal text in the English-speaking world, and is traditionally credited with making English common law accessible to ordinary citizens. His life represents a dramatic transformation from struggling lawyer to becoming a famous law pr
PeopleBoethius
Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (c. 480 – 524/525 CE) was a Roman philosopher, government official, and Christian thinker who helped bridge the classical and medieval worlds. Born into the distinguished aristocratic family of the Anicii, Boethius received a classical education and became fluent in both Latin and Greek. He held high political office under Theodoric the Great, ruler of the Ostrogothic Kingdom in Ita
PeopleCalvin
John Calvin (born Jean Cauvin, July 10, 1509 – May 27, 1564) was a French theologian, pastor, and principal figure of the second generation of the Protestant Reformation. Born in Noyon, Picardy, France, to a notary father and a devout mother, Calvin originally trained as a humanist lawyer. After breaking from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530 during a period of intense anti-Protestant violence in France, he sough
PeopleChaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer was born between 1340 and 1345 in London to John Chaucer, a prosperous wine merchant, and Agnes Copton. Through his father’s connections, he began his career serving as a page to Elizabeth, Countess of Ulster, and later held numerous important positions as a courtier, diplomat, civil servant, and collector of scrap metal. Chaucer was fluent in French, Italian, and Latin, traveled extensively on diplo
PeopleCicero
Cicero, full name Marcus Tullius Cicero, was a Roman statesman, orator, lawyer, writer, and philosopher who lived during the late Roman Republic. He is considered one of Rome’s greatest writers and speakers. He was born on January 3, 106 BCE, in Arpinum, Italy, and was executed on December 7, 43 BCE, in Formiae, Italy, by order of Mark Antony during the proscriptions following the assassination of Julius Caesar. Cice
PeopleEpictetus
Epictetus was a Greek Stoic philosopher born in Hierapolis, Phrygia (present-day Pamukkale, Turkey) around 55 CE. He was born as a slave and later gained his freedom to become one of the most influential thinkers of Rome. Due to a lack of concrete information, very little is known about his early life, but it is believed that Epictetus studied Stoic philosophy under the guidance of Musonius Rufus (a renowned Stoic ph
PeopleErasmus
Desiderius Erasmus (1466–1536) was a Dutch scholar, writer, and priest who is known for his works that laid the foundation for the Protestant Reformation. Born in Rotterdam and orphaned young, he reluctantly became an Augustinian monk before obtaining permission to study abroad. As a wandering scholar, he lived across Europe, supporting himself through teaching, patronage, and his extraordinarily popular writings. Hi
PeopleGaius
Gaius (full name unknown, fl. c. 160 CE) was a Roman jurist and legal educator whose Institutes became the foundational textbook of Roman law. Likely born in the eastern provinces (possibly Asia Minor), Gaius taught law in Rome during the Antonine era, outside the imperial bureaucracy. He systematized centuries of legal tradition into a clear, student-oriented framework, dividing law into persons, things, and actions
PeopleGalen
Aelius Galen or Claudius Galen, also known as Galen of Pergamon, was a prominent Greek physician, surgeon, and philosopher in the 2nd century CE. He was born in Pergamon, a city in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), in 129 AD during the Roman Empire. Galen’s father, Aelius Nicon, was a wealthy architect, providing Galen with the means to pursue his education in medicine. Galen traveled extensively throughout the Mediter
PeopleGalileo
Galileo Galilei (b. February 15, 1564, Pisa, Italy – d. January 8, 1642, Arcetri, near Florence) was an Italian natural philosopher, astronomer, physicist, and mathematician. Born to Vincenzo Galilei, a musician, Galileo originally studied medicine at the University of Pisa but shifted to mathematics and philosophy. He became a professor at Pisa and later at the University of Padua. Galileo was known for his experime
PeopleGoethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) was a German literary titan—a poet, novelist, playwright, scientist, statesman, and philosopher. Born in Frankfurt am Main on August 28, 1749, he received a classical education encouraged by his father, Johann Caspar Goethe, an imperial councilor. Goethe studied law at Leipzig University but soon directed his energies toward literature and art, publishing poems and theatrical wo
PeopleGrotius
Hugo Grotius (1583–1645) was a Dutch legal genius, philosopher, theologian, and diplomat who helped lay the groundwork for modern international law. Born in Delft, Netherlands, he was a child prodigy—fluent in Latin and Greek by age 8 and publishing scholarly work at just 11.
PeopleHammurabi Code
The Hammurabi Code is one of the oldest known written legal codes, originating in ancient Mesopotamia during the reign of King Hammurabi of Babylon (ca. 1792–1750 BCE). It was inscribed on a basalt stele and placed in public view, signifying both the authority of the king and the transparency of law. This comprehensive legal text outlines 282 laws dealing with civil, criminal, commercial, and family matters. The prol
PeopleHesiod
Hesiod was an ancient Greek poet of the late 8th or early 7th century BCE. He is one of the earliest Greek poets (around the same time as Homer) whose work has survived in its entirety, providing insights into the agricultural practices, religious beliefs, and moral values of ancient Greece.
PeopleJesus Christ
Founder of Christianity : Established a transformative spiritual movement based on love, forgiveness, and the Kingdom of God, reshaping religious and moral thought.
PeopleJob
Job is the central figure of the Book of Job in the Hebrew Bible and a prophet in Islam known as Ayyūb. Introduced as a prosperous and righteous man in the land of Uz, Job is continually tested in a bet between God and Satan. Known for his integrity and devotion to God, Job is described as ‘blameless,’ making his suffering a well-known literary tragedy. Structured between a prose prologue and epilogue, the Book of Jo
PeopleJohn
John the Apostle, also known as Saint John the Beloved, was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples according to the New Testament. He is traditionally considered to be the author of the Gospel of John, three epistles, and the Book of Revelation. He was born in 6 AD at Bethsaida in Galilee during the Roman Empire. John was the son of Zebedee and Salome and is listed as the youngest apostle. He is the brother of James the Grea
PeopleLuther
Martin Luther (1483–1546 CE) was a German monk, theologian, professor, and reformer whose 95 Theses (1517) ignited the Protestant Reformation, fracturing Western Christendom. Born in Eisleben (Saxony), he studied law at Erfurt before a 1505 thunderstorm vow led him to join the Augustinian friars. Ordained in 1507, he earned a doctorate in theology (1512) and taught at Wittenberg University. Tormented by guilt and Anf
PeopleMark
• Author of the Earliest Gospel: The Gospel of Mark is widely considered the first written gospel and served as a source for Matthew and Luke (the “Synoptic Problem”).
PeopleMilton
John Milton (London, 9 December 1608 – London, 8 November 1674) was an English poet, polemicist, intellectual, and civil servant. Born into a devout and musically gifted family, he was educated first at St. Paul’s School and then at Christ’s College, Cambridge, where he cultivated his love of languages and literature. Following extensive private study and travel in Europe (notably Italy), Milton became engaged in the
PeoplePaul
Paul was born into a Jewish family with Roman citizenship, a status that afforded him unique privileges and mobility throughout the empire. Deeply devoted to Jewish tradition, he initially saw the early Christian movement as a dangerous threat to Judaism. He actively sought to suppress it, participating in the persecution of Jesus’s followers.
PeoplePetrarch
Petrarch, also known as Francesco Petrarca, was an Italian scholar, poet, and humanist who is often referred to as the “Father of Humanism.” Born in Arezzo, Tuscany, in 1304, Petrarch spent much of his early life traveling throughout Italy and France, studying law and classical literature. He is best known for his poetry, particularly his sonnets written in Italian, which had a significant influence on the developmen
PeoplePlato
Plato (c. 428/427–348/347 BCE) was a Greek philosopher, writer, and foundational figure in Western philosophy. A student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, Plato founded the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. His writings—mostly in the form of philosophical dialogues—explored ethics, politics, metaphysics, epistemology, art, and education. After the Trial of Socrates,
PeoplePlotinus
Plotinus was a Greek philosopher born in Roman Egypt, most likely in Lyco (modern Asyut) or Lycopolis. He is widely recognized as the founder of Neoplatonism, a philosophy that profoundly influenced late antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance. Plotinus began studying philosophy in Alexandria at age 28, becoming a devoted student of Ammonius Saccas for eleven years. He joined Emperor Gordian III’s Persian exp
PeoplePsalms
The book of Psalms, also known as the Psalter, is the first book of the third section of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) called Ketuvim, and a book of the Old Testament. The book is an anthology of Hebrew religious hymns, divided into five sections, each ending with a doxology, a hymn of praise. There are several types of psalms, including hymns or songs of praise, communal laments, royal psalms, imprecation, and individua
PeopleReformation Chorale
Reformation Chorale is a seminal collection of hymns and songs that emerged during the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. Comprising a wide array of musical compositions, the Reformation Chorale played a significant role in the spread of Protestant ideas and theology through congregational singing. This musical tradition, rooted in the principles of sola scriptura and congregational participation, was a key
PeopleSocrates
• Socrates’ emphasis on self-examination and the search for truth through dialogue laid the foundation for Western philosophy and influenced later thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle.
PeopleSophocles
Master of Greek Tragedy : Sophocles, one of the three great ancient Greek tragedians, is celebrated for his innovative contributions to drama, including the introduction of a third actor and complex character development, as seen in works like Oedipus Rex and Antigone .
PeopleTacitus
• Critique of Empire: Tacitus is revered for his unflinching portrayal of imperial excess, exploring how concentrated power erodes accountability and virtue.
PeopleThucydides
Chronicler of the Peloponnesian War : Thucydides, an Athenian historian, is renowned for his meticulous and analytical account of the Peloponnesian War, emphasizing factual accuracy and human motivations in his seminal work, History of the Peloponnesian War .
PeopleVirgil
Virgil (Publius Vergilius Maro, c. 70–19 BCE) was a Roman poet and the foremost literary figure of the Augustan Age. Born in Andes near Mantua (present-day northern Italy), Virgil received a classical education in rhetoric, philosophy, and poetry in Rome and Naples. He rose to prominence under the patronage of Emperor Augustus, crafting works that blended Greek literary models with Roman national identity. Virgil’s p
PeopleAugustine
Augustine (Aurelius Augustinus, 354–430 CE) was a North African theologian, philosopher, and bishop whose writings shaped Western Christianity and Latin thought. Born in Thagaste (present-day Souk Ahras, Algeria), Augustine received a classical education in rhetoric at Carthage, taught in Rome and Milan, and converted to Christianity in 386 under Ambrose’s influence. After returning to Africa, he became bishop of Hip
PeopleDante
Dante Alighieri was born in Florence, Italy, around May 21–June 20, 1265, to a family of lesser nobility. Florence at the time was a hotbed of political intrigue and factionalism, with the Guelph and Ghibelline parties vying for power—a scenario that would profoundly shape Dante’s life and work. His mother died in his childhood, and his father died when Dante was still young. He married Gemma Donati around 1285, thou
PeopleHeimskringla
Heimskringla (c. 1225–1235 CE) is a monumental saga chronicle of Norwegian kings from legendary origins to 1177 CE, attributed to the Icelandic chieftain, poet, and historian Snorri Sturluson (1179–1241). Comprising 16 sagas in three main parts—Ynglinga Saga, the lives of historical kings from Halfdan the Black to Harald Hardrada, and the civil war era—it is written in clear, objective Old Norse prose with embedded s
PeopleIsaiah
• Prophetic Voice of Justice: Isaiah is celebrated as one of the major prophets in the Hebrew Bible, known for his powerful messages of justice, righteousness, and the coming of a Messiah, addressing the moral failings of Judah and the hope of redemption.
PeopleJeremiah
Prophetic Voice of Judah’s Covenant : Jeremiah is renowned for his impassioned calls for repentance and warnings of divine judgment against Judah’s unfaithfulness. His messages, often delivered through symbolic acts, emphasized God’s covenant and the consequences of straying from it.
PeopleKant
Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) was a German philosopher who stands as one of the most important figures in Western philosophy. Born and raised in Königsberg, Prussia, he spent his entire life there, teaching, thinking, and writing.
PeopleLocke
John Locke was a prominent English philosopher and physician in the 17th century, known for his contributions to the fields of political theory, epistemology, and philosophy of mind. He was born in Wrington, Somerset, England, on August 29, 1632, and died on October 28, 1704, in Oates, Essex. Locke’s influence on Western philosophy and political thought is profound, with his ideas shaping the Enlightenment period and
PeopleShakespeare
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was an English writer, poet, and actor who is often hailed as the greatest playwright of all time—and with good reason. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, he was educated locally before heading to London, where he made a name for himself in the world of theater.
Periods
500–600 AD
← Back to All Books 500–600 AD The sixth century AD preserves important works of philosophy, monasticism, Roman law, liturgical music, and comparative religious thought. This section highlights Boethius, Benedictine monastic traditions, Justinian legal scholarship, Gregorian chant studies, and early modern introductions to Zen Buddhism. Read More No books match this filter.
Periods1–100 AD
← Back to All Books 1–100 AD During the first century AD, Jewish, Greek, and Roman intellectual traditions continued to shape the foundations of theology, philosophy, biblical interpretation, and classical scholarship. This section highlights Philo Judaeus, whose writings and later Loeb Classical Library editions helped preserve important connections between Jewish theology, Greek philosophy, biblical interpretation,
Periods100–1 BC
← Back to All Books 100 BC – 1 AD This shelf covers the late Roman Republic and early Empire, featuring major works of Virgil, Horace, Ovid, and the historian Diodorus Siculus, along with studies of Roman religion. It includes both poetic masterpieces (the *Aeneid*, *Georgics*, and love poetry) and historical writing, reflecting Rome’s cultural golden age. Read More No books match this filter.
Periods100–200 AD
← Back to All Books 100–200 AD The second century AD includes major works of Roman Stoic philosophy and ancient medical scholarship, especially through Marcus Aurelius and Galen. This section highlights editions and translations of Marcus Aurelius’s philosophical writings, including Meditations and related texts, as well as Galen’s influential work On the Natural Faculties. Read More No books match this filter.
Periods200–100 BC
← Back to All Books 200–100 BC This period covers the late Hellenistic world and the expanding Roman Republic, including the aftermath of the Punic Wars and Rome’s growing dominance across the Mediterranean. These decades saw the continued influence of Greek culture, the rise of Roman military and political power, the Maccabean Revolt in Judea, and important developments in philosophy, historiography, and governance
Periods400–500 AD
← Back to All Books 400–500 AD This bookshelf brings together Sanskrit drama, Indian poetry, and Hebraic literature from the 400–500 AD period, highlighting how different traditions explored dignity, justice, moral responsibility, and human freedom. Reading these works broadens the history of liberty and dignity beyond the familiar Greek, Roman, Christian, and modern European traditions. Kalidasa and Sudraka show hum
Periods900–1000 AD
← Back to All Books 900–1000 AD This period covers the late Viking Age and the emergence of medieval Europe, including the Ottonian Renaissance, the consolidation of Anglo-Saxon England, and the strengthening of Christian monastic and scholarly traditions. These decades saw the continued influence of Viking raids and settlements, the rise of the Ottonian dynasty in the Holy Roman Empire, the unification of England un
Books & Works
Ancient Roman Religion
Frederick C. Grant · 1957 · Study of Roman religious practices and beliefs.
Books & WorksInstitutes of the Roman Law of Civil Procedure
Wenger, Leopold, 1874– · 1940 · Institutes of the Roman law of civil procedure. Revised edition translated by Ota Harrison Fitch. 1940.
Books & WorksReflections on the Causes of the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire
Montesquieu, Charles de Secondat, baron de, 1689–1755 · 1759 · Reflections on the causes of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. London, 1759. xi, 352 p. 24 cm. ARD-9121
Books & WorksThe History of the Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire
Gibbon, Edward, 1737–1794 · 1946 · The history of the decline & fall of the Roman Empire, selected from the etching by Gian Battista Piranesi. New York, Heritage Press, [1946]. 3 v.
Books & WorksThe History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Gibbon, Edward, 1737–1794 · 1862 · The history of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. With notes by Dean Milman and M. Guizot; edited with additional notes by William Smith. London, John Murray, 1862. 8 v. frontispieces, portraits, maps. 22 cm. ARD-9749
Books & WorksThe Roman Way
Edith Hamilton · 1932 · New York: W. W. Norton, 1932.
Books & WorksAmbrosian Chants
Catholic Church. Ambrosian rite · 1958 · Ambrosian chants. Polifonica Veneta; Mons. Giuseppe Dalla, conductor. 3 LPs.
Books & WorksCommentaries on Romans
Calvin, Jean, 1509–1564 · 1947 · Commentaries on Romans. 1947.
Books & WorksConsiderations on the Causes of the Greatness of the Romans and Their Decline
Montesquieu, Charles de Secondat, baron de, 1689–1755 · 1965 · Considerations on the causes of the greatness of the Romans and their decline. New York, Free Press, [1965]. Includes bibliographical references. ARD-9126
Books & WorksFrom the Hunter's Bow: The History and Romance of Musical Instruments
Beatrice Edgery · 1942 · New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1942.
Books & WorksRomance of the Three Kingdoms (San Kuo Chih Yen-I)
Lo Kuan-chung · 1959 (Brewitt-Taylor trans.) · Translated by C. H. Brewitt-Taylor. Rutland, VT: Charles E. Tuttle Co.; Tokyo, 1959.
Books & WorksA Panorama of the World's Legal Systems
John Henry Wigmore · 1928 · Saint Paul: West Publishing Company, 1928. 3 volumes with illustrations. Surveys sixteen principal legal systems including Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Hebrew, Chinese, Hindu, Greek, Roman, and others.
Books & WorksA Letter Concerning Toleration
Locke, John, 1632–1704 · 1950 · A letter concerning toleration by John Locke. With an introduction by Patrick Romanell. New York, Liberal Arts Press, 1950.
Books & WorksComplete Poetical Works
Percy Bysshe Shelley · 1901 · Collected poetry of the Romantic poet Percy Shelley.
Books & WorksMadame Bovary
Gustave Flaubert · 1926 · Realist novel of romantic dissatisfaction and social ambition.
Books & WorksThe Divine Comedy
Dante Alighieri, 1265–1321 · 1946 · The Divine Comedy. Illustrated by Umberto Romano. Translated by Henry Francis Cary. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1946.
Resources
The Roman Way
Edith Hamilton · 1932 · New York: W. W. Norton, 1932.
ResourcesCommentaries on Romans
Calvin, Jean, 1509–1564 · 1947 · Commentaries on Romans. 1947.
ResourcesA Panorama of the World's Legal Systems
John Henry Wigmore · 1928 · Saint Paul: West Publishing Company, 1928. 3 volumes with illustrations. Surveys sixteen principal legal systems including Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Hebrew, Chinese, Hindu, Greek, Roman, and others.
ResourcesA Letter Concerning Toleration
Locke, John, 1632–1704 · 1950 · A letter concerning toleration by John Locke. With an introduction by Patrick Romanell. New York, Liberal Arts Press, 1950.
ResourcesA Letter Concerning Toleration
Locke, John, 1632–1704 · 1950 · A letter concerning toleration by John Locke. With an introduction by Patrick Romanell. New York, Liberal Arts Press, 1950.
ResourcesThe Divine Comedy
Dante Alighieri, 1265–1321 · 1946 · The Divine Comedy. Illustrated by Umberto Romano. Translated by Henry Francis Cary. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1946.