Martial books in order
1st-century Latin poet from Hispania
- Lived
- 40–104
- Country
- Ancient Rome
- Books
- 1
Martial published 1 poetry collection. The best-known is Epigrammata.
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Martial
Start here
Epigrammata
Martial's most-read book.
Poetry in order
Epigrammata (1501)
About Martial
Marcus Valerius Martialis was a Roman poet born in Bilbilis, Hispania, best known for his twelve books of Epigrams, published in Rome between AD 86 and 103, during the reigns of the emperors Domitian, Nerva and Trajan. In these poems he satirises city life and the scandalous activities of his acquaintances, and romanticises his provincial upbringing. A total of 1,561 epigrams written by him have survived, of which 1,235 are in elegiac couplets.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Martial FAQ
- How many books has Martial written?
- Martial published 1 poetry collection that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Martial's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Epigrammata.
- What is Martial's most famous book?
- Epigrammata is Martial's most widely read book.
Authors like Martial
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.