List of historians


This is a list of historians, but only for those with a biographical entry in Wikipedia. Major chroniclers and annalists are included and names are listed by the person's historical period. The entries continue with the specializations, not nationality.

Antiquity

Greco-Roman world

Classical period

  • Herodotus, Halicarnassus, wrote the Histories, which established Western historiography
  • Thucydides, Peloponesian War
  • Xenophon, Athenian knight and student of Socrates
  • Ctesias, Greek historian of Assyrian, Persian, and Indian history

    Hellenistic period

  • Ephorus of Cyme, Greek history
  • Theopompus, Greek history
  • Eudemus of Rhodes, Greek historian of science
  • Ptolemy I Soter, general of Alexander the Great, founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty
  • Duris of Samos, Greek history
  • Berossus, Babylonian historian
  • Timaeus of Tauromenium, Greek history
  • Manetho, Egyptian historian and priest from Sebennytos living in the Ptolemaic era
  • Quintus Fabius Pictor, Roman history
  • Artapanus of Alexandria, Jewish historian of Ptolemaic Egypt
  • Cato the Elder, Roman statesman and historian, author of the Origines
  • Cincius Alimentus, Roman history
  • Eupolemus, Hellenistic Jewish historian
  • Gaius Acilius, Roman history
  • Agatharchides, Greek history
  • Polybius, early Roman history
  • Sempronius Asellio, early Roman history
  • Valerius Antias, Roman history
  • Quintus Claudius Quadrigarius, Roman history
  • Diodorus of Sicily, Greek history
  • Posidonius, Greek and Roman history
  • Theophanes of Mytilene, Roman history

    Roman Empire

  • Julius Caesar, Gallic and civil wars
  • Sallust, Roman history
  • Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman history
  • Livy, Roman history
  • Memnon of Heraclea, Greek and Roman history
  • Strabo, geography, Greek history
  • Marcus Velleius Paterculus, Roman history
  • Claudius, Roman, Etruscan and Carthaginian history
  • Pamphile of Epidaurus, Greek history
  • Marcus Cluvius Rufus,, Roman history
  • Quintus Curtius Rufus, Greek history
  • Flavius Josephus, Jewish history
  • Dio Chrysostom, history of the Getae
  • Thallus, Roman history
  • Gaius Cornelius Tacitus, early Roman Empire
  • Plutarch, Parallel Lives of important Greeks and Romans
  • Criton of Heraclea, history of the Getae and the Dacian Wars
  • Suetonius, Roman emperors up to the Flavian dynasty
  • Appian, Roman history
  • Arrian, Greek history
  • Granius Licinianus, Roman history
  • Criton of Pieria, Greek history
  • Lucius Ampelius, Roman history
  • Dio Cassius, Roman history
  • Marius Maximus, biography of Roman emperors
  • Diogenes Laërtius, history of Greek philosophers
  • Sextus Julius Africanus, early Christian
  • Herodian, Roman history
  • Publius Anteius Antiochus
  • Gaius Asinius Quadratus, Roman history
  • Dexippus, Roman history
  • Ephorus the Younger, Roman history
  • Acholius, Roman history
  • Callinicus, history of Alexandria
  • Eusebius of Caesarea, early Christian
  • Praxagoras of Athens, Greek and Roman history
  • Festus, Roman history
  • Aurelius Victor, Roman history
  • Eutropius, Roman history
  • Ammianus Marcellinus, Roman history
  • Virius Nicomachus Flavianus, Roman history
  • Sulpicius Alexander, Roman history
  • Rufinus of Aquileia, early Christian
  • Eunapius, biographies of philosophers and universal history
  • Orosius, early Christian
  • Philostorgius, early Christian
  • Socrates of Constantinople, early Christian
  • Agathangelos, Armenian history
  • Priscus, Byzantine history
  • Sozomen, early Christian
  • Theodoret, early Christian
  • Movses Khorenatsi, Armenian history
  • Hydatius, chronicler of Hispania
  • Salvian, early Christian
  • Faustus of Byzantium, Armenian history
  • Ghazar Parpetsi, Armenian history
  • Zosimus, late Roman history
  • Jordanes, history of the Goths
  • John Malalas, Early Christian

    China

  • Zuo Qiuming, attributed author of the Zuo Zhuan, a history of Spring and Autumn period
  • Sima Tan, began the Records of the Grand Historian, completed by his son Sima Qian
  • Sima Qian, customary father of Chinese historiography, compiled the Records of the Grand Historian
  • Liu Xiang , organized the Han imperial library
  • Ban Biao , began the Book of Han, completed by his son and daughter
  • Ban Gu , compiled the Book of Han, completed by his sister Ban Zhao
  • Ban Zhao compiled the Records of the Three Kingdoms
  • Faxian, Chinese Buddhist monk and traveler, wrote an important memoir of his travels to India
  • Fan Ye, compiled the Book of Later Han
  • Shen Yue, wrote the Book of Song on the Liu Song dynasty

    Middle Ages

Byzantine sphere

  • Procopius, writings on reigns of Justinian and Theodora
  • Constantine of Preslav, Bulgarian historian
  • Nestor the Chronicler, author of the Primary Chronicle
  • Anna Komnene, Byzantine princess
  • Joannes Zonaras, Byzantine chronicler
  • Nicetas Choniates
  • Domentijan, Serbian monk and chronicler

    Latin sphere

Early Middle Ages

  • Gildas, On the Ruin of Britain
  • Gregory of Tours, A History of the Franks
  • Baudovinia, Frankish nun who wrote a biography of Radegund
  • Cogitosus, Irish historian
  • Tírechán, Irish biographer of Saint Patrick
  • Muirchu moccu Machtheni, Irish historian
  • Adamnan, Irish historian
  • Bede, Anglo-Saxon England
  • Paul the Deacon, Langobards
  • Einhard, biographer of Charlemagne
  • Nennius, Wales
  • Notker of St Gall, anecdotal biography of Charlemagne
  • Martianus Hiberniensis, Irish teacher and historian
  • Asser, Bishop of Sherborne, Welsh historian
  • Regino of Prüm

    High Middle Ages

10th century

  • Widukind of Corvey, Ottonian chronicler
  • Liutprand of Cremona, Byzantine affairs
  • Heriger of Lobbes, theologian and historian
  • Richerus, French monk and historian
  • Hrostvitha of Gandersheim, Saxon canoness, poet and historian

    11th century

  • Ahimaaz ben Paltiel - 1054 Jewish chronicle of Byzantine Italy
  • Thietmar of Merseburg, German, Polish, and Russian affairs
  • Michael Psellus, Greek politician and historian
  • Marianus Scotus, Irish chronicler
  • Michael Attaleiates, Byzantine historian
  • Guibert of Nogent, Benedictine historian
  • Eadmer, post-Conquest English history
  • Adam of Bremen, historian of Scandinavia, ''Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum''

    12th century

  • Abraham ibn Daud, Sephardic Jewish author of Sefer ha-Qabbalah
  • Albert of Aix, historian of the First Crusade
  • Alured of Beverley, English chronicler
  • Ambroise, Anglo-Norman writer of verse narrative of the Third Crusade
  • Anna Komnene, Byzantine princess and historian
  • Bele Regis Notarius,Hungarian chronicler. Gesta Hungarorum.
  • Eliezer ben Nathan, Jewish chronicler of the Rhineland massacres from Mainz
  • Ephraim of Bonn, Jewish chronicler
  • Florence of Worcester, English chronicler
  • Galbert of Bruges, Flemish chronicler
  • Gallus Anonymus, Polish historian
  • Geoffrey Gaimar, Anglo-Norman chronicler
  • Geoffrey of Monmouth, churchman/historian
  • Geoffroi de Villehardouin
  • Helmold of Bosau, German chronicler
  • John of Worcester, English chronicler
  • Otto of Freising, German chronicler
  • Pelagius of Oviedo, Iberian bishop/historian
  • Saxo Grammaticus, Danish chronicler
  • Solomon bar Simson, Jewish chronicler of the Crusades in Mainz
  • Svend Aagesen, Danish historian
  • Symeon of Durham, English chronicler
  • William of Malmesbury, English historian
  • William of Newburgh, English historian known as "the father of historical criticism"
  • William of Tyre

    13th century

  • Giraldus Cambrensis
  • Wincenty Kadlubek, Polish historian
  • Adam of Eynsham, English hagiographer and writer, abbot of Eynsham Abbey
  • Snorri Sturluson, Icelandic historian
  • Matthew Paris, English chronicler and illuminator
  • Jans der Enikel, Viennese historian and poet
  • Templar of Tyre, end of the Crusades
  • Simon of Kéza. End of 13th century. A Hungarian chronicler.

    Late Middle Ages

Historians of the Italian Renaissance listed under "Renaissance"
  • Piers Langtoft
  • Jean de Joinville
  • Giovanni Villani, Italian chronicler from Florence who wrote the Nuova Cronica
  • John of Küküllő
  • John Clyn, Irish historian
  • Seán Mór Ó Dubhagáin, Irish historian
  • Adhamh Ó Cianáin
  • John of Fordun, Scottish chronicler
  • Ruaidhri Ó Cianáin, Irish historian
  • Jean Froissart, chronicler
  • Dietrich of Nieheim, ecclesiastical history
  • Christine de Pizan, historian, poet and philosopher
  • Álvar García de Santa María
  • Giolla Íosa Mór Mac Fhirbhisigh
  • John Capgrave
  • Alfonso de Cartagena
  • Enguerrand de Monstrelet, French chronicler
  • Georges Chastellain, Burgundian chronicler
  • Thomas Basin, French historian
  • Jan Długosz, Polish historian and chronicler
  • Mathieu d'Escouchy, French chronicler
  • Olivier de la Marche, Burgundian chronicler
  • Antonio Bonfini, Italian chronicler
  • Johannes de Thurocz, Hungarian chronicler
  • Jean Molinet, French chronicler
  • Cathal Óg Mac Maghnusa, compiler and annalist
  • Philippe de Commines

    Islamic world

  • Ibn Rustah, Persian historian and traveler
  • Abu'l-Fadl Bayhaqi, Persian historian and author
  • Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Persian historian
  • Al-Biruni, Persian historian
  • Ibn Hayyan, Arab historian
  • Ibn Hazm, Arab historian
  • Al-Udri, Arab historian
  • Mohammed al-Baydhaq, Moroccan historian
  • Usamah ibn Munqidh, Arab historian
  • Ali ibn al-Athir, Arab historian
  • Abdelwahid al-Marrakushi, Moroccan historian
  • Ibn al-Khabbaza, Moroccan historian
  • Ata al-Mulk Juvayni, Persian historian
  • Abdelaziz al-Malzuzi, Moroccan historian
  • Ibn Kathir, Arab historian and Scholar
  • Ibn Abi Zar, Moroccan historian
  • Ibn Idhari, Moroccan Arab historian
  • Rashid-al-Din Hamadani, Persian historian
  • Abdullah Wassaf, Persian historian
  • Ibn Khaldun, Arab historian
  • Ismail ibn al-Ahmar, Arab historian