Ancient and Medieval History

Reference Guides

Indexes & Abstracts

Bibliographies & Catalogs

Dictionaries

Encyclopedias

Handbooks & Chronologies

Atlases

Biographical Sources

Standard Histories

Journals

Primary Sources & Anthologies

Internet Sites

Reference Guides

Guide to the Sources ure of Medieval History. 1978. (Ref. D 117 .C2213): Lists and explains the primary source materials surviving in manuscript, including encyclopedic, medical, and legal compendia; national chronicles and church histories; germanic law codes; genealogies, biographies, and lives of saints; "histories" of crusades and pilgrimages; travel logs; diaries; letters; etc. Lists catalogs of manuscript collections in monasteries and libraries. Concludes with Reference tools on paleography, numismatics, sigillography, genealogy, heraldry, and metrology.

Guide to The Study of Medieval History. 1980. (Ref. Z6203 P25): Standard scholarly guide, critical and comprehensive. Part 1 takes up general Reference sources, including bibliographies, library catalogs, universal histories, periodicals, and auxiliary materials on chronology, genealogy, heraldry, numismatics, and place-names. Part II describes sources for specific time periods, while Part III employs a more topical approach--with sections on continuity of ancient and classical traditions, medieval world-view, Carolingian Reforms, Moorish Spain, Aristotelian revival, Roman and canon law, rise of universities and vernacular literature, etc.

Introduction to Ancient History. 1970. (Ref. Z6202 B413): Introduces the beginning researcher to the scope of traditional ancient history, including Egypt, Sumer, Babylonia, Assyria, the Hittite Empire, Palestine, Persia, Greece and Rome. Discusses the study of antiquity from the Renaissance forward; ancient chronology, geography, and ethnography; documents, monuments, and their interpretation; specialized fields, such as epigraphy and papyrology; and various Reference tools and journals. Includes thorough bibliographies of primary sources and definitive studies.

Literature of Medieval History: 1930-1975. 5 Vols. (Ref. Z 6203 P25 1980 Suppl.)

Medieval Studies: An Introduction. 1976. (Ref. D 116 M4 1976)

Indexes & Abstracts

Academic Index ASAP. 1980-: Academic Index is a comprehensive index to journal and newspaper articles in the social sciences, sciences, and humanities. Coverage of both popular and scholarly journals as well as newspapers is provided in this source.
Combined Retrospective Index Set to Journals in History, 1838-1974. 11 Vols. 1976-78. (Ref. D 1 C73): Selectively indexes about 1,000 journals in history and other fields by keyword or subject categories. Ancient and medieval history is covered in Vols. 1, 3 and 4.
FRANCIS (Humanities & Social Sciences). 1984-: From the RLG Union Catalog Page (RLIN) click on the "Change Files" option on the left column and then select the button for the appropriate selection. This database is an index to multilingual, multi-disciplinary information in the humanities, social sciences, economics, religion, the history of art, and literature.
Historical Abstracts. 1954-: Premiere source for scholarly articles, books, and many dissertations on all aspects of world history except the U.S. and Canada.
Humanities Full Text. 1984-: Contains abstracts of periodicals in archaeology, art, classics, film, folklore, journalism, linguistics, music, the performing arts, philosophy, religion, world history, and world literature.
Humanities Index. 1974-1983 (Ref. AI 3 H85): Provides broad scholarly coverage of historical periodicals and other journals in the humanities. See also British Humanities Index (1962-1991) (Ref AI 3 B7).
JSTOR: This full text database offers archival holdings of scholarly journals in several disciplines of interest to History students including African-American studies, anthropology, Asian studies, political science, and general history.
Project MUSE: Over 110 scholarly journals in the liberal arts are available in this database. Articles are full text(and image), and the file can be searched via keyword or Boolean operators(AND, OR, NOT).

Bibliographies & Catalogs

Bibliography of English Translations from Medieval Sources(1968-1991).: Compiled by the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University, this site offers a bibliography of resources covering the diverse area of medieval history. The collection includes sources on art, laws and customs, philosophy, religion, and history.
International Medieval Bibliography. 1968- (Ref. Z 6203 I63): Comprehensive listing of articles, conference proceedings, and collected essays in all major European languages. Arrangement is topical, with author and general indexes in each issue. An old but important bibliography for 19^th century materials is Repertoire Des Sources Historiques du Moyen Age: Topo-bibliographie, 2 vols. (Z 6203 C522 1894-1903), and Bio-bibliographie, 2 vols. (Z 6203 C52 1960 (repr.).
Oriental Institute: Recommended Readings on the Ancient Near East.: Compiled by the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, this site offers a bibliography of resources covering ancient Mesopotamia. Topics include archaeology, art, literature, law and government, religion, etc.
Research Libraries Information Network (RLIN).: Provides union listing of the rich and varied collections of major U.S. research libraries and the National Library of Canada. The Eureka Bibliographic Database contains books and journals, as well as manuscripts and archival materials. Various journal article databases, as well as Dissertation Abstracts International (1865-), are also available. Access to parts of major European collections, such as the British Library, Vatican Archives, Bibliotheque Nationale, etc., is also available. See a Reference librarian for details.

Dictionaries

An Archaic Dictionary: Biographical, Historical, and Mythological... (Ref. DS61 C65 1969): This source covers the civilizations of the ancient Middle East with emphasis on the Egyptian, Assyrian and Etruscan dynasties. Brief entries.
A Dictionary of Ancient History. (Ref. DE5 .D53 1994): A "layman's guide" to Greek and Roman history, this source covers the period from 776 B.C. to 476 A.D. Short to medium length entries with cross-references.
Dictionary of the Middle Ages. 13 Vols. 1982-1989. (Ref. D 114 D5): Standard encyclopedic tool for medieval studies, with authoritative, signed articles. Political and military history is enriched by entries on social, religious, cultural, and intellectual aspects of the age (e.g., "Universities"; "Dietary Laws, Islamic"; "Mystery Plays"). Extensive cross-References, index, and bibliographies. See also The Middle Ages: a Concise Encyclopedia (Ref. D 114 M54 1989), or the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Medieval Civilization (Ref. CB 353 G7 1979)
The Oxford Classical Dictionary. (Ref. DE 5 O9 1996): Very scholarly, with hundreds of entries on persons and peoples, places and objects. Numerous cross-References facilitate access. See also the classic Dictionary of Greek And Roman Antiquities (Ref. DE 5 S6 1854), or The New Century Classical Handbook (Ref. DE 5 N4 1962).

Encyclopedias

The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Archaeology. 1980. (Ref. CC 165 C3): Arranged chronologically, from pre-historic times down through the Roman Empire. Brilliant color illustrations, photographs, and diagrams. See also the Larousse Encyclopedia of Archaeology (Ref. CC 165 C4313 1972).
The Encyclopedia of Ancient Civilizations. 1980. (Ref CB 311 E53): Organized geographically by region and individual civilization. Covers Egypt, Babylonia, Assyria, and Persia, with useful chapters on the Mitanni, Hittites, Hebrews, Phrygia, Lydia, and Armenia. Includes sections on ancient India, China, and Mesoamerica. See also The Concise Encyclopedia of Ancient Civilizations (Ref. CB 311 C74 1978). For those reading German, there is the massive Lexikon Der Alten Welt (Ref. D 54 L48 1965)
The Middle Ages: A Concise Encyclopedia. 1989. (Ref D 114 M54 1989): A single volume work that presents a summary of current thought on the key protagonists, events, and themes relating to the history of Europe - from Scandinavia to the Middle East - from c.400 to c.1500. The work aims "to strike a balance between concise, factual entires in the major battles, treaties, individuals, and locations, and a more discursive treatment of topics of lively background interest." Contains illustrations, cross-references, and a bibliographical note.
Civilization of The Ancient Mediterranean: Greece And Rome. 3 Vols. 1988. (Ref. DE 59 C55) & Emerald Coast: Encyclopedic survey, providing chronological tables and good historical summaries of Greece and Rome from the early 1st millennium B.C. to the late 5th century A.D. About 100 essays by experts then follow on such subjects as geography, cultural achievements, class structure, private and public life, and even topics like `Greek and Roman attitudes toward sex.' Thorough bibliographies provided.
On-Line Reference Book for Medieval Studies (ORB).: This site offers online access to scholarly essays and peer reviewed articles dealing with medieval studies. Includes topical index.

Handbooks & Chronologies

Chronology of the Ancient World. 1980. (Ref. D 54.5 B5): Explains the various pre-Julian and Julian calendars used in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, as well as astronomical phenomena, lunar vs. solar year, Assyrian eponym lists, Hellenic olympiads, etc. Includes chronology of Greek and Roman history, with lists of rulers, consuls, and emperors.
Chronology of The Medieval World: 800 to 1491. 1973. (Ref. D 118 S855): Detailed listing of events by year, month and day, starting with the coronation of Charlemagne and ending with the surrender of Moorish Granada. Political and military events are printed on the left-hand pages; social, intellectual, and cultural events are juxtaposed on the right-hand pages. Includes contemporaneous coverage of events in the Muslim would, Byzantium, the Far East, and India as well.
Exploring Ancient World Cultures(EAWC): Chronology: Medieval Europe.
http://eawc.evansville.edu/chronology/mepage.htm: A chronology of important dates with brief essays describing events of note. Covers dates from 500 - 1509.
HyperHistory On-Line(HHO).
http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/History_n2/a.html: A chronology of world history from 1,000 B.C. to the present. Includes short biographies and essays on major events.

Atlases

Atlas of Classical History. (Ref. Atlases G 1033 .G65 1994): Covering the period from 1700 B.C. to 565 A.D. this atlas highlights the economic, cultural, religious, political, and military events that shaped ancient Greek and Roman history.
Atlas of the Greek and Roman World in Antiquity. 1981. (Ref. Atlases G 1033 A84): Large maps detail topography, trade routes, religious centers, military campaigns, imperial and provincial boundaries. Has detailed gazetteer. See also atlases of Classical History (Ref. Atlases G 1033 A833 1985) and Classical Archaeology (Ref. Atlases G 1046 E15 A8).
Atlas of Medieval Europe. 1983. (Ref. Atlases G 1791 M3): Provides maps and lengthy narratives, detailing places and events. See also atlases on the Crusades (Ref. Atlases G 1034 R5 1991), Medieval Jewish History (Ref. Atlases G 1034 B413 1992), or the Muslim Peoples (Ref. Atlases G 1786 S1 R6 1957).
The Complete Atlas of World History. 3 vols. (Ref. Atlases G1030 .C66 1997): This atlas combines historical timelines of important events with full color topographical maps depicting political, economic and social developments in the ancient and medieval world. Volumes one and two of this set cover the periods: "Prehistory and the Ancient World" and "The Medieval and Early Modern World," respectively.
A Concise Historical Atlas of Eastern Europe. (Ref. Atlases G 2081 .S1 H8 1996): The first two sections of this atlas are devoted to the medieval period. Introductory essays compliment the main entries.
The World Atlas of Archaeology. 1985. (Ref. Atlases G 1046 E15 W6): Large and lavishly illustrated with color maps,hotographs, expert drawings, and diagrams. Lengthy narratives illustrate the life and culture of man from archaeological evidence of his evolutionary origins as Homo sapiens some 100,000 years ago, down through European colonization of North America ca. 1600 A.D. Covers ancient Mediterranean and Near East, Celtic and early Medieval Europe, Byzantine and Arab worlds, Scythia, Central Asian Steppes, India, China, Southeast Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania. See also atlases on Early Man (Ref. Atlases Cb 311 H35 1976), Ancient Egypt (Ref. Atlases Dt 56.9 B34 1980), or The Bible (Ref. Atlases Bs 630 R6).

Biographical Sources

Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. 3 Vols. 1849. (Ref. DE 5 S71): Old but indispensable resource--with lucid entries buttressed by frequent References to classical texts and signed by specialists of the time. Knowledge of Latin and Greek is assumed. For briefer, more modern coverage, see Who Was Who in the Roman World (Ref. DG 260 A1 W45 1980) or The Greek World (Ref. DE 7 W45 1982).
Classical Scholarship; A Biographical Encyclopedia. 1990. (Ref. PA 83 C58): Details the lives and contributions of 50 eminent classicists, such as Edward Fraenkel, Theodor Mommsen, Heinrich Schliemann, and F. A. Wolf. Supplies lists of published works and sources.
Who's Who in The Middle Ages. 1970. (Ref. D 115 F5): Contains lengthy biographical sketches of noteworthy figures, from Attila the Hun to "Warwick the King-Maker." Brief bibliographies are provided.

Standard Histories

The Cambridge Ancient History. 17 Vols. 1965+ Supplements. (Ref. D 57 C25): The standard multi-volume ancient history. Covers pre-history to 324 A.D. Chapters are written by acknowledged experts on the various periods. Includes definitive bibliographies and atlas volume.
The Cambridge Medieval History. 8 Vols. 1964. (Ref. D 117 C3): Another standard history, along the same lines as the above entry. For essays on the transition to the Modern Era, see The New Cambridge Modern History, 14 Vols. (Ref. D 208 N4).

Journals

The following is a partial list of journals in Ancient and Medieval history available on the second floor of the UWF library. Call numbers and/or electronic links are provided.

Journal of Early Christian Studies MUSE v. 4 (1996) to date

Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies Duke Journals v. 30 (2000) to date

Journal of Medieval History D 111 .J67 v. 1-29 (1975-2003)

Science Direct v. 21 (1995) to date

Primary Sources & Anthologies

Ancient near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament. 1955. Supplement. 1969. (BS 1180 P83): Classic anthology of texts from Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Includes the Sumerian and Akkadian creation myths and flood legends, Epic of Gilgamesh, Babylonian legal codes (such as Hammurabi's), Egyptian and Hittite treaties, "Wisdom Literature," Assyrian military annals, Egyptian incantations--including "The Book of the Dead," and ancient observations on life, such as the "Babylonian Job." See also The Ancient Near East in Pictures (BS 1180 P833 1954), with photographs of archaeological sites, murals, reliefs, sculptures, minor arts and ordinary objects.<
Basic Documents in Medieval History. 1992. (D113.5 B37 1992): Compiled for university students, this source lists 80 medieval documents including the Coronation of Charlemagne, the Strasbourg Oaths, the Treaty of Verdun, the Concordat of Worms, and the Magna Carta.
Chronicles of the Barbarians: Firsthand Accounts of Pillage and Conquest, From the Ancient World to the Fall of Constantinople. 1998. (D 104 .C55 1998)
Domesday Book (a facsimile copy is also available in Special Collections)
http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/: "The Domesday Book is a great land survey from 1086, commissioned by William the Conqueror to assess the extent of the land and resources being owned in England at the time, and the extent of the taxes he could raise. It provides extensive records of landholders, their tenants, the amount of land they owned, how many people occupied the land (villagers, smallholders, free men, slaves, etc.), the amounts of woodland, meadow, animals, fish and ploughs on the land (if there were any) and other resources, any buildings present (churches, castles, mills, salthouses, etc.), and the whole purpose of the survey - the value of the land and its assets, before the Norman Conquest, after it, and at the time of Domesday. Some entries also chronicle disputes over who held land, some mention customary dues that had to be paid to the king, and entries for major towns include records of traders and number of houses."
Electronic Resources for Classicists...
http://www.tlg.uci.edu/~tlg/index/resources.html: A clearinghouse of links to primary source material in ancient history.
Exploring Ancient World Cultures.
http://eawc.evansville.edu/texts/index.htm: This site offers links to documents and texts of early Christianity, the Middle East, and Greek and Roman antiquities. The site also offers scholarly essays, a chronology of important events, and a link to ARGOS, an internet search engine limited to the fields of ancient and medieval history.
EuroDocs: Primary Historical Documents from Western Europe.
http://eurodocs.lib.byu.edu: A comprehensive selection of medieval documents with links to other full text archives. Sample documents include: The Capitulary of Charlemagne, The Salic Law, Treaty at Aix, The Ordinance of Louis the Pious, and The Crusades(texts and archives).
Internet Ancient History Sourcebook
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/asbook.html: A scholarly and comprehensive collection of texts and documents(secular, legal, and religious) in ancient history. Selections include writings by Herodotus, Thucydides, Homer, Plato, Tacitus and Cicero.
On-Line Reference Books for Medieval Studies
http://www.the-orb.net/: A scholarly collection of texts, documents and essays on medieval studies. Includes documents from Aristotle, Saint Augustine, Thomas More, and Clement of Rome. Also includes peer reviewed articles.
The Middle Ages: Sources of Medieval History. 1983. (D 113 M49): Excerpts of documents in translation, such as the Nicene Creed and Canons, Justinian and Salic law codes, formulae for "trial by ordeal," Rule of St. Benedict, troubadour songs, decrees of church councils, papal encyclicals and bulls, etc. See Also Select Historical Documents of The Middle Ages (D 113 H49) or Sources For The History of Medieval Europe (D 113 S68).
Perseus Project
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/: A digital project of Tufts University, this site offers full text access to important documents in ancient history. The site also includes Latin and Greek lexicons, scholarly essays, and a bibliography of secondary sources.

Internet Sites

Diotima: Materials for the Study of Women and Gender in the Ancient World
http://www.stoa.org/diotima/
Exploring Ancient World Cultures
http://eawc.evansville.edu/
Internet Ancient History Source Book
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/asbook.html
Labyrinth: World Wide Web Server for Medieval Studies
http://www.georgetown.edu/labyrinth
NetSERF: The Internet Connection for Medieval Resources
http://www.netserf.org/
Online Medieval and Classical Library
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/OMACL/
SHA: The Society for Historical Archaeology
http://www.sha.org/
WWW Medieval Resources
http://ebbs.english.vt.edu/medieval/medieval.ebbs.html
WWW-Virtual Library: Medieval Europe
http://www.msu.edu/~georgem1/history/medieval.htm

Maintained by Melissa Finley Gonzalez, History Librarian
University of West Florida Library
Last Updated: August 2006

Journal of Early Christian Studies	MUSE	v. 4 (1996) to date
Journal of Medieval and Early Modern Studies	Duke Journals	v. 30 (2000) to date
Journal of Medieval History	D 111 .J67	v. 1-29 (1975-2003)
Journal of Medieval History	Science Direct	v. 21 (1995) to date