Anabasis is a foundational work of ancient Greek historiography and military literature, written by Xenophon in the early 4th century BCE. The text recounts the dramatic expedition of the Ten Thousand Greek mercenaries through the Persian Empire after the failed rebellion of Cyrus the Younger, offering a rare eyewitness account of Achaemenid politics, ancient warfare, leadership under crisis, and cross-cultural encounters. Valued for its clear Attic Greek style, strategic insights, and detailed geography of Anatolia and Mesopotamia, Anabasis remains a core primary source for Classical Greek history, Persian–Greek relations, and the study of mercenary armies in antiquity, making it essential reading for historians, classicists, and military theorists alike.

Hellenica is Xenophon’s major historical continuation of Classical Greek history, covering the period from 411 to 362 BCE and deliberately picking up where Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War ends. The work documents the final years of the Peloponnesian War, the rise and fall of Spartan hegemony, and the shifting balance of power among Athens, Sparta, Thebes, and Persia, making it a central primary source for late fifth- and early fourth-century Greek politics and warfare. Written in clear Attic prose with a focus on leadership, military decision-making, and moral causation, Hellenica is indispensable for understanding post-war Greece, interstate diplomacy, and the political realities of the classical polis system.

Agesilaus is Xenophon’s biographical and encomiastic work devoted to the Spartan king Agesilaus II, blending historical narrative with moral praise to present an idealized model of leadership, virtue, and kingship in Classical Greece. Written by a close associate and admirer of Agesilaus, the text highlights the king’s military campaigns, personal discipline, piety, and loyalty to Sparta, offering valuable insight into Spartan ideology and Xenophon’s own political values. As both a historical source and a work of political philosophy, Agesilaus is essential for understanding Spartan hegemony in the early fourth century BCE, ancient biography, and the development of exemplary leadership literature in Greek historiography.

Memorabilia is Xenophon’s most extensive Socratic work and one of the principal ancient sources for the life, teachings, and character of Socrates. Written as a direct response to accusations of impiety and moral corruption, the text presents a series of conversations that emphasize Socrates’ practical ethics, piety, self-control, and commitment to moral improvement. Distinct from Plato’s philosophical dialogues, Memorabilia portrays Socrates as a moral guide focused on everyday virtue, leadership, and civic responsibility, making it an essential primary source for the study of Socratic thought, Classical Athenian culture, and the intellectual history of fourth-century BCE Greece.

Apology of Socrates is Xenophon’s concise Socratic text offering an alternative ancient account of Socrates’ trial and execution in Classical Athens. Unlike Plato’s more philosophical Apology, Xenophon emphasizes Socrates’ deliberate refusal to seek acquittal, portraying his death as a rational and virtuous choice rooted in divine guidance and moral integrity. The work is a crucial primary source for understanding competing ancient interpretations of Socrates’ trial, Athenian legal culture, and the ethical ideals of self-mastery and piety, making it indispensable for scholars of Socratic literature, Classical philosophy, and fourth-century BCE intellectual history.

Symposium is Xenophon’s Socratic dialogue set at a convivial banquet, using informal conversation to explore themes of friendship, virtue, self-control, beauty, and the proper use of pleasure in Classical Greek society. Distinct from Plato’s philosophical Symposium, Xenophon’s version emphasizes ethical moderation and practical wisdom, presenting Socrates as a moral teacher engaged with everyday human concerns rather than abstract metaphysics. As a key primary source for Socratic ethics, Athenian social life, and ancient literary dialogue, Symposium provides valuable insight into fourth-century BCE moral thought and the cultural ideals of Classical Athens.

Oeconomicus is Xenophon’s influential Socratic dialogue on household management, agriculture, and economic order in Classical Greece, offering one of the earliest sustained treatments of economics in Western thought. Framed as a conversation between Socrates and the gentleman-farmer Ischomachus, the work explores leadership within the household, the moral dimensions of wealth, and the organization of labor, including idealized roles for men and women. Valued for its insights into ancient economic practice, social hierarchy, and ethical management, Oeconomicus is a foundational primary source for the study of Classical Athenian society, early economic theory, and practical philosophy in the fourth century BCE.

Cyropaedia is Xenophon’s expansive and highly influential work on leadership, education, and empire, presenting a semi-fictionalized account of the upbringing and rule of Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire. Blending history, political philosophy, and moral instruction, the text examines ideal kingship, military discipline, and the cultivation of loyalty, making it one of antiquity’s most important studies of governance and power. Widely read in the Classical, Roman, and early modern worlds, Cyropaedia shaped later political thought on rulership and statecraft, standing as a foundational source for the study of ancient imperial ideology, leadership theory, and comparative Greek–Persian perspectives.

Constitution of the Lacedaemonians is Xenophon’s concise but influential analysis of Spartan political and social institutions, offering a rare contemporary perspective on the laws and customs that underpinned Sparta’s military power and social cohesion. Attributed largely to the reforms of Lycurgus, the work examines Spartan education, discipline, communal living, and civic virtue, presenting Sparta as a model of stability, obedience, and moral rigor. As a key primary source for the study of Spartan society, Classical Greek political thought, and comparative constitutional history, Constitution of the Lacedaemonians is essential for understanding how ancient Greeks theorized law, governance, and the relationship between institutions and power.

On the Cavalry Commander is Xenophon’s practical military treatise on the responsibilities, training, and ethical leadership of a cavalry officer in Classical Greece, drawing directly on the author’s extensive experience as a soldier and commander. The work outlines effective methods for organizing cavalry units, maintaining discipline, conducting drills, and coordinating mounted forces with infantry in battle, while emphasizing the importance of personal example, morale, and sound judgment in command. As a key primary source for ancient military theory and Athenian warfare, On the Cavalry Commander provides enduring insight into fourth-century BCE cavalry tactics, professional military leadership, and Xenophon’s broader philosophy of command.

On Horsemanship is Xenophon’s practical and influential treatise on the selection, care, and training of horses in Classical Greece, widely regarded as the earliest surviving manual on horsemanship in Western literature. Combining veterinary insight, riding technique, and ethical treatment of animals, the work emphasizes gentle training, proper equipment, and the close relationship between rider and horse. As a foundational primary source for ancient equestrian practice, military preparedness, and animal management, On Horsemanship remains essential for understanding Greek cavalry culture, Xenophon’s practical philosophy, and the broader role of horses in fourth-century BCE warfare and society.

Ways and Means is Xenophon’s economic and political treatise proposing practical strategies for restoring Athens’ prosperity in the aftermath of prolonged warfare and financial decline. The work focuses on public revenue, trade, mining, immigration, and the efficient management of state resources, offering a rare ancient example of systematic economic planning aimed at civic stability and growth. As a key primary source for Classical Greek economic thought and public finance, Ways and Means provides valuable insight into fourth-century BCE Athenian policy debates, early economic theory, and Xenophon’s pragmatic approach to governance and reform.

Hiero is Xenophon’s concise political dialogue examining the nature of power, happiness, and tyranny in Classical Greece through a conversation between the poet Simonides and the ruler Hiero of Syracuse. The work contrasts the apparent advantages of tyranny with its psychological burdens, arguing that true happiness for a ruler depends on justice, beneficence, and the voluntary loyalty of subjects rather than fear or coercion. As an important early reflection on political leadership and the ethics of rule, Hiero is a key primary source for ancient political thought, offering insight into Greek attitudes toward tyranny, governance, and the moral responsibilities of power in the fourth century BCE.

Cynegeticus, commonly known as On Hunting, is Xenophon’s practical and moral treatise on hunting with hounds in Classical Greece, presenting the activity as both a technical skill and a form of ethical education. The work combines detailed instruction on tracking, training dogs, and pursuing game with a broader argument that hunting cultivates discipline, endurance, and virtues essential for good citizenship and military readiness. As one of the earliest surviving texts on hunting in Western literature, On Hunting is a valuable primary source for understanding ancient sport, aristocratic culture, and Xenophon’s belief in the formative role of physical training in the moral life of the fourth century BCE.