Ptolemy books in order
2nd-century Roman mathematician, astronomer, geographer
- Lived
- 100–170
- Country
- Ancient Rome
- Books
- 3
Ptolemy published 1 non-fiction book and 2 other books. The best-known is Almagest.
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Ptolemy
Start here
Almagest
Ptolemy's most-read book.
Non-fiction in order
Almagest (1952)
Other books in order
Geography (1991)
Tetrabiblos (2003)
Free to read
All free classics
About Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy, better known mononymously as Ptolemy, was a Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were important to later Byzantine, Islamic, and Western European science. The first was his astronomical treatise now known as the Almagest, originally entitled Mathēmatikḗ Syntaxis. The second is the Geography, which is a thorough discussion on maps and the geographic knowledge of the Greco-Roman world. The third is the astrological treatise in which he attempted to adapt horoscopic astrology to the Aristotelian natural philosophy of his day. This is sometimes known as the Apotelesmatika but more commonly known as the Tetrábiblos.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Ptolemy FAQ
- How many books has Ptolemy written?
- Ptolemy published 1 non-fiction book and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Ptolemy's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Almagest.
- What is Ptolemy's most famous book?
- Almagest is Ptolemy's most widely read book.
- Can I read Ptolemy's books for free?
- Yes. 1 book by Ptolemy is in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Ptolemy
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.