Plato books in order
4th-century BCE Greek philosopher
- Lived
- 428 BC–348 BC
- Country
- Ancient Greece
- Books
- 30
Plato published 6 novels, 4 novellas, 14 non-fiction books, 1 play and 5 other books, beginning with Timaeus (359 BC). The best-known is Apology (395 BC).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Plato
Standalone novels in order
Chariot Allegory (369 BC)
Allegory of the Cave (400 BC)
Gorgias (1848)
Phaedo (1854)
Theaetetus (1880)
Platon — Œuvres Complètes (2008)
Novellas in order
Apology (395 BC)
Crito (400 BC)
Protagoras (1854)
Meno (1938)
Non-fiction in order
Plays in order
Sophist (1967)
Other books in order
Laches (1888)
Laws (1921)
Euthydemus (2013)
Menexenus (2014)
Ion (2015)
Free to read
All free classics
About Plato
Plato was an ancient Greek philosopher of Classical Athens who is most commonly considered the foundational thinker of the Western philosophical tradition. An innovator of the literary dialogue and dialectic forms, Plato influenced all the major areas of theoretical philosophy and practical philosophy, and was the founder of the Academy, a philosophical school in Athens where Plato taught the collection of philosophical theories that would later become known as Platonism.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Plato FAQ
- How many books has Plato written?
- Plato published 6 novels, 4 novellas, 14 non-fiction books, 1 play and 5 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Plato's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Apology.
- What is Plato's last book?
- Euthyphro (400 BC).
- What is Plato's most famous book?
- Apology (395 BC) is Plato's most widely read book.
- Can I read Plato's books for free?
- Yes. 31 books by Plato are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Plato
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.