Plato's famous record of Socrates' defence against accusations of atheism and corrupting the youth. This speech is well worth your time.

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Translation: http://www.sjsu.edu/people/james.lindahl/courses/Phil70A/s3/apology.pdf

Queen Elizabeth's 1588 speech to the English troops at Tilbury ahead of the invasion of the Spanish.

Source: http://tudorhistory.org/primary/tilbury.html

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Poem by Robert Browning.

http://www.bartleby.com/246/654.html

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The Book of Kells is an early Medieval illustrated manuscript of the four Gospels from the New Testament. Created around 800AD, the Book of Kells is considered to be the finest example of insular art and a masterpiece of Western calligraphy.

View the images in high resolution: http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/bok/index.htm

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The Great Inscription of Amen-Em-Heb details the rise of an Egyptian soldier to commander of the Pharaoh's army, chronicling the battles in which he fought and the enemies he defeated and took prisoner.

Amen-Em-Heb served as a soldier in the Egyptian army under Pharaoh Thutmose III (1479 BC to 1425 BC) and under his son Amenhotep II.

Most notably, Amen-Em-Heb fought a bull elephant in hand-to-hand combat and emerged victorious, hacking off the the beast's foot while it was still alive. His skills as a soldier brought him to the Pharaoh's attention, who rewarded him with wealth and promotion.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/ane/rp/rp204/rp20405.htm

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The letters from Canaanite vassal rulers to the Pharaoh of Egypt are a fascinating look at the gradual disintegration of the Egyptian Empire in the Middle East and document in detail the internal diplomatic machinery of the Empire.

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Source: http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/amarnaletters.htm

The Armarna Letters are a collection of diplomatic messages sent between the great rulers of the ancient Middle East, from 1350 to 1330 BC.

The letters from the great kings makes up the first half of the letters found at Tel Armarna. They feature the kings of most Middle Eastern kingdoms and shed light on the diplomatic status each had with Egypt, from the glowing praise of Babylonian and Mittani kings to the icy reserve of the kings of Hatti and Assyria.

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The Seven Evil Spirits is a translation of hymns and incantations against the supernatural forces that haunted ancient Babylonia.

Excerpt from The Devils and Evil Spirits of Babylonia: http://www.sacred-texts.com/ane/seven.htm

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An entertaining collection of the sayings of the most famous Greek and Roman leaders from the classical era.

Although alleged to have been written by Plutarch it is likely these sayings were sourced from his works by later authors.

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Sources: http://www.attalus.org/old/sayings1.html

In 1095, Pope Urban II delivered a blistering incitement to the warriors of Christendom to march to the Middle East and retake the holy city of Jerusalem for the Christian faith.

Several versions of this speech were recorded, the most famous of which is by Fulcher of Chatres. However, other versions of the speech are equally as rousing.

Source: http://www1.cbn.com/spirituallife/calling-for-the-first-crusade#urban

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