Originally given as a series of lectures between 1868 and 1871 and attended by Friedrich Nietzsche, on whom they had a formative influence, these Reflections on History present Burckhardt's quintessential view of the processes which have shaped and continue to shape European civilization.

Jacob Burckhardt (1818-1897) was an historian of art and culture who taught at the University of Basel. His major works include The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy, The Age of Constantine the Great, Judgements on History and Historians, and The Greeks and Greek Civilization.