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The Republic by Plato (Greece, c. 370BC)    
The early model on which many later utopias were based, Plato’s ideal republic is ruled by a group of intelligent, unselfish men called the guardians or philosopher-kings who conduct public affairs for the good of the whole nation. Below the ruling intelligentsia are other classes: the warrior class; commoners, consisting of merchants, artisans, and labourers; and finally, at the lowest level, the slaves. Property belongs to the community not to individuals, money is unnecessary and displays of luxury are strongly discouraged. A high moral code of conduct underlies everything and education of the ruling classes is paramount. There is no marriage, and women and children are held in common for the benefit of the nation as a whole.

De Re Publica by Marcus Tullius Cicero (Rome, 52BC)    
Based largely on Plato’s ideas, Cicero discusses the attributes of various types of government (monarchy, aristocracy, democracy, and dictatorship) in an academic manner but without committing himself to a preference, except to say that the ideal state is one based on reason and justice, where those who possess natural superiority rule over the inferiors.

De Civitate Dei (City of God) by St. Augustine (Roman Empire, 426AD)    
The book sets out to attack immoral Roman life under their pagan gods, and instead propounds a Christian way of life where the love of God takes precedence over the love of self.

De Monarchia by Dante Alighieri (Italy, 1308)    
This treatise on government was written at the height of the rivalry between popes and emperors. Dante’s proposed ideal Holy Roman Empire is led by an emperor who is elected by designated electors not by the populace, and who does not owe his title to the pope.

Utopia by Sir Thomas More (England, 1516)    
Possibly the quintessential utopia, Utopia (the full Latin title is De Optimo Republicae Statu deque Nova Insula Utopia) was written during that great flowering of European culture which was the Renaissance: the Americas were recently “discovered”, humanist scholars flourished, the Protestant Reformation was in the air and all things seemed possible. Book I constitutes a discussion of the ills of the laws, governments, economics and morals of the European nations of the time, detailing in particular the severity of the penal code, the gross inequities in the distribution of wealth, the unequal participation in productive labor, and the appropriation of farm lands for sheep grazing. Book II compares with this the system in the imaginary island of Utopia, where everyone is employed in a productive trade, resulting in a six-hour working day, and the inhabitants alternate between living in the city and the country in two-year cycles. There is no private property and no money, and inhabitants are free to take from the supply stores whatever food they need. Laws are simple and clear and there is thus no need for costly and corrupt lawyers. The family and marriage is stressed, and religious freedom encouraged. Interestingly, a system of slavery exists, consisting mainly of criminals and captured prisoners of war, although war is considered barbaric and a course of last resort.