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.For a longer list and detailed biographies see "Chronological list of historians":
Antiquity Greco-Roman world
Classical period Herodotus (484 – ), Halicarnassus, wrote the Histories, which established Western historiography Thucydides (460 – c. 400 BCE), Peloponnesian War Xenophon (431 – c. 360 BCE), Athenian knight and student of Socrates Ctesias (early 4th century BCE), Greek historian of Assyrian, Persian, and Indian history
Hellenistic period Ephorus of Cyme (c. 400–330 BCE), Greek history Theopompus (c. 380 – c. 315 BCE), Greek history Eudemus of Rhodes (c. 370 – c. 300 BCE), Greek historian of science Ptolemy I Soter (367 – c. 283 BCE), general of Alexander the Great, founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty Duris of Samos (c. 350 – post-281 BCE), Greek history Berossus (early 3rd century BCE), Babylonian historian Timaeus of Tauromenium (c. 345 BCE – c. 250 BCE), Greek history Manetho (3rd century BCE), Egyptian historian and priest from Sebennytos (ancient Egyptian: Tjebnutjer) living in the Ptolemaic era Quintus Fabius Pictor (born c. 254 BCE), Roman history Artapanus of Alexandria (late 3rd – early 2nd centuries BCE), Jewish historian of Ptolemaic Egypt Cato the Elder (234–149 BCE), Roman statesman and historian, author of the Origines Cincius Alimentus (late 2nd century BCE), Roman history Eupolemus, Hellenistic Jewish historian Gaius Acilius (), Roman history Agatharchides (fl. mid–2nd century BCE), Greek history Polybius (203 – c. 120 BCE), early Roman history (in Greek) Sempronius Asellio (c. 158 – post-91 BCE), early Roman history Valerius Antias (1st century BCE), Roman history Quintus Claudius Quadrigarius (1st century BCE), Roman history Diodorus of Sicily (1st century BCE), Greek history Posidonius (c. 135 – 51 BCE), Greek and Roman history Theophanes of Mytilene (fl. mid 1st-century BCE), Roman history
Roman Empire Julius Caesar (100 – c. 44 BCE), Gallic and civil wars Sallust (86–34 BCE), Roman history Dionysius of Halicarnassus (c. 60 – post-7 BCE), Roman history Livy (64 BCE – 12 CE), Roman history Memnon of Heraclea (), Greek and Roman history Strabo (63 BCE – 24 CE), geography, Greek history Marcus Velleius Paterculus (c. 19 BCE – c. 31 CE), Roman history Claudius (10 BCE – 54 CE), Roman, Etruscan and Carthaginian history Pamphile of Epidaurus (female historian active under Nero, r. 54–68), Greek history Marcus Cluvius Rufus, (fl. 41–69), Roman history Quintus Curtius Rufus (c. 60–70), Greek history Flavius Josephus (37–100), Jewish history Dio Chrysostom (c. 40 – c. 115 CE), history of the Getae Thallus (early-2nd-century CE), Roman history Gaius Cornelius Tacitus (c. 56–120), early Roman Empire Plutarch (c. 45 – 125), Parallel Lives of important Greeks and Romans Criton of Heraclea (fl. 100), history of the Getae and the Dacian Wars Suetonius (c. 69 – post-122), Roman emperors up to the Flavian dynasty Appian (c. 95 – c. 165), Roman history Arrian (c. 92–175), Greek history Granius Licinianus (2nd century), Roman history Criton of Pieria (2nd century), Greek history Lucius Ampelius (c. 2nd-century CE), Roman history Dio Cassius (c. 160 – after 229), Roman history Marius Maximus (c. 160 – c. 230), biography of Roman emperors Diogenes Laërtius (fl. c. 230), history of Greek philosophers Sextus Julius Africanus (c. 160 – c. 240), early Christian Herodian (c. 170 – c. 240), Roman history Publius Anteius Antiochus (early 3rd c.) Gaius Asinius Quadratus (fl. 248), Roman history Dexippus (c. 210 – 273), Roman history Ephorus the Younger (late 3rd century), Roman history Acholius (late 3rd century), Roman history Callinicus (died 273), history of Alexandria Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 275 – c. 339), early Christian Praxagoras of Athens (fl. early 4th century), Greek and Roman history Festus (fl. 370), Roman history Aurelius Victor (c. 320 – c. 390), Roman history Eutropius (died 390), Roman history Ammianus Marcellinus (c. 325 – c. 391), Roman history Virius Nicomachus Flavianus (334–394), Roman history Sulpicius Alexander (fl. late 4th century), Roman history Rufinus of Aquileia (c. 340–410), early Christian Eunapius (346–414), biographies of philosophers and universal history Orosius (c. 375 – post-418), early Christian Philostorgius (368 – c. 439), early Christian Socrates of Constantinople (c. 380 – unknown date), early Christian Agathangelos (5th century), Armenian history Priscus (5th century), Byzantine history Sozomen (c. 400 – c. 450), early Christian Theodoret (c. 393 – c. 457), early Christian Movses Khorenatsi (13 January 410–488), Armenian history Hydatius (c. 400 – c. 469), chronicler of Hispania Salvian (c. 400/405 – c. 493), early Christian Faustus of Byzantium (5th century), Armenian history Ghazar Parpetsi (441– after 515), Armenian history Zosimus (fl. 491–518), late Roman history Jordanes (6th century), history of the Goths John Malalas (c. 491–578), Early Christian
China
Zuo Qiuming (左丘明, 556–451 BCE), attributed author of the Zuo Zhuan, a history of Spring and Autumn period Sima Tan (司馬談, 165–110 BCE), began the Records of the Grand Historian, completed by his son Sima Qian Sima Qian (司馬遷, c. 145 – c. 86 BCE), customary father of Chinese historiography, compiled the Records of the Grand Historian Liu Xiang (劉向, 77–76 BCE) (Han dynasty), organized the Han imperial library Ban Biao (班彪, CE 3–54) (Han dynasty), began the Book of Han, completed by his son and daughter Ban Gu (班固, CE 32–92) (Han dynasty), compiled the Book of Han, completed by his sister Ban Zhao Ban Zhao (班昭, CE 45–116) (Han dynasty, China's first female historian, completed the Book of Han Chen Shou (陈寿, 233–297) (Jin dynasty) compiled the Records of the Three Kingdoms Faxian (法顯, c. 337 – c. 422), Chinese Buddhist monk and traveler, wrote an important memoir of his travels to India Fan Ye (范曄, 398–445), compiled the Book of Later Han Shen Yue (沈約, 441–513), wrote the Book of Song on the Liu Song dynasty (420–479)
Middle Ages Byzantine sphere
Procopius (c. 500 – c. 565), writings on reigns of Justinian and Theodora Constantine of Preslav (late 9th – early 10th c.), Bulgarian historian Nestor the Chronicler (c. 1056 – c. 1114, in Kiev), author of the Primary Chronicle Anna Komnene (1083–1153), Byzantine princess Joannes Zonaras (12th c.), Byzantine chronicler Nicetas Choniates (died c. 1220) Domentijan (1210–1264), Serbian monk and chronicler
Latin sphere
Early Middle Ages
Gildas (500–570), On the Ruin of Briain Gregory of Tours (538–594), A History of the Franks Baudonivia (), Frankish nun who wrote a biography of Radegund Cogitosus (fl. c. 650), Irish historian Tírechán (fl. c. 655), Irish biographer of Saint Patrick Muirchu moccu Machtheni (7th c.), Irish historian Adamnan (625–704), Irish historian Bede (c. 672–735), Anglo-Saxon England Paul the Deacon (8th c.), Langobards Einhard (9th c.), biographer of Charlemagne Nennius (c. 9th c.), Wales Notker of St Gall (9th c.), anecdotal biography of champagne Martianus Hiberniensis (819–875), Irish teacher and historian Asser, Bishop of Sherborne (died 908/909), Welsh historian Regino of Prüm (died 915)
High Middle Ages
10th century Widukind of Corvey (925–973), Ottonian chronicler Liutprand of Cremona (922–972), Byzantine affairs Heriger of Lobbes (925–1007), theologian and historian Richerus (), French monk and historian Hrostvitha of Gandersheim (935–978), Saxon canoness, poet and historian
11th century Ahimaaz ben Paltiel (1017–1060) – known as the compiler of the Chronicle of 1054, a chronicle of Jewish Byzantine Italy Thietmar of Merseburg (975–1018), German, Polish, and Russian affairs Michael Psellus (1018 – c. 1078), Greek politician and historian Marianus Scotus (1028–1082/1083), Irish chronicler Michael Attaleiates (c. 1015 – c. 1080), Byzantine historian Guibert of Nogent (1053–1124), Benedictine historian Eadmer (c. 1066 – c. 1124), post-Conquest English history Adam of Bremen (later 11th century), historian of Scandinavia, Gesta Hammaburgensis Ecclesiae Pontificum
12th century
Abraham ibn Daud (1110–1180), Sephardic Jewish author of Sefer ha-Qabbalah Albert of Aix (), historian of the First Crusade Alured of Beverley (fl. 1143), English chronicler Ambroise (fl. 1190s), Anglo-Norman writer of verse narrative of the Third Crusade Anna Komnene (Anna Comnena, 1083 – post-1148), Byzantine princess and historian Bele Regis Notarius(late 12th century – early 13th century), Hungarian chronicler. Gesta Hungarorum. Eliezer ben Nathan (1090–1170), Jewish chronicler of the Rhineland massacres from Mainz Ephraim of Bonn (1132–1200 or 1221), Jewish chronicler Florence of Worcester (died 1118), English chronicler Galbert of Bruges (12th century), Flemish chronicler Gallus Anonymus (fl. 11th – 12th centuries), Polish historian Geoffrey Gaimar (fl. 1130s), Anglo-Norman chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. 1100 – c. 1155), churchman/historian Geoffroi de Villehardouin (c. 1160–1212) Helmold of Bosau (ca. 1120 – post-1177), German chronicler John of Worcester (fl. 1150s), English chronicler Otto of Freising (c. 1114–1158), German chronicler Pelagius of Oviedo (died 1153), Iberian bishop/historian Saxo Grammaticus (12th century), Danish chronicler Solomon bar Simson (1140), Jewish chronicler of the Crusades in Mainz Svend Aagesen (c. 1140/1150 – unknown date), Danish historian Symeon of Durham (died post-1129), English chronicler William of Malmesbury (1095–1143), English historian William of Newburgh (1135–1198), English historian known as "the father of historical criticism" William of Tyre (c. 1128–1186)
13th century Giraldus Cambrensis (c. 1146 – c. 1223) Wincenty Kadlubek (1161–1223), Polish historian Adam of Eynsham (died c. 1233), English hagiographer and writer, abbot of Eynsham Abbey Snorri Sturluson (c. 1178–1241), Icelandic historian Matthew Paris (died 1259), English chronicler and illuminator Jans der Enikel (c. 1227 – c. 1290), Viennese historian and poet Templar of Tyre (c. 1230–1314), end of the Crusades Simon of Kéza. End of 13th century. A Hungarian chronicler. (c. 1282–1285: Gesta Hunnorum et Hungarorum)
Late Middle Ages Historians of the Italian Renaissance listed under "Renaissance" Piers Langtoft (died c. 1307) Jean de Joinville (1224–1319) Giovanni Villani (1276–1348), Italian chronicler from Florence who wrote the Nuova Cronica John of Küküllő (1320–1393) John Clyn (), Irish historian Seán Mór Ó Dubhagáin (died 1372), Irish historian Adhamh Ó Cianáin (died 1373) John of Fordun (died 1384), Scottish chronicler Ruaidhri Ó Cianáin (died 1387), Irish historian Jean Froissart (c. 1337 – c. 1405), chronicler Dietrich of Nieheim (c. 1345–1418), ecclesiastical history Christine de Pizan (c. 1365 – c. 1430), historian, poet and philosopher Álvar García de Santa María (1370–1460) Giolla Íosa Mór Mac Fhirbhisigh (fl. 1390–1418) John Capgrave (1393–1464) Alfonso de Cartagena (1396–1456) Enguerrand de Monstrelet (c. 1400–1453), French chronicler Georges Chastellain (c. 1405 or 1415–1475), Burgundian chronicler Thomas Basin (1412–1491), French historian Jan Długosz (1415–1480), Polish historian and chronicler Mathieu d'Escouchy (1420–1482), French chronicler Olivier de la Marche (1425–1502), Burgundian chronicler Antonio Bonfini(1424–1502), Italian chronicler Johannes de Thurocz (1435–1489), Hungarian chronicler Jean Molinet (1435–1507), French chronicler Cathal Óg Mac Maghnusa (1439–1498), compiler and annalist Philippe de Commines (1447–1511)
Islamic world
Ibn Rustah (10th century), Persian historian and traveler Abu'l-Fadl Bayhaqi (995–1077), Persian historian and author Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (838–923), Persian historian Al-Biruni (973–1048), Persian historian Ibn Hayyan (987–1075), Arab historian Ibn Hazm (994–1064), Arab historian