Written by the Greek philosopher Aristotle after 335 BC, Politics is a foundational philosophical text on the essence of politics.

Michael A. Ledeen's Machiavelli On Modern Leadership: Why Machiavelli's Iron Rules are as Timely and Important Today As Five Centuries Ago (1999) applies Machiavelli's worldview to contemporary political scenarios.

Giorgio Vasari, a Renaissance painter, first published his book Lives of the Painters, Sculptors and Artists in 1550. This work reflects on his interactions with many prominent artists in Florence during Machiavelli's era, including Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Brunelleschi.

Swiss historian Jacob Burckhardt revolutionized historical perspectives on the past. His 1860 book A History of Italy in the Renaissance is a pioneering text that introduces readers to Machiavelli, the Medici family, and numerous other significant figures of the period.