Durant, William, and Ariel Durant, The Age of Reason Begins, Simon and Schuster, 1961.

The Age of Reason Begins is an excellent historical
reference guide for those who want to understand the
political era leading up to the neoclassical period. It
reviews a period in history full of religious strife and
scientific progress, from 1558 to 1650.

Finley, M. I., The Ancient Greeks, Penguin Books, 1991.

The Ancient Greeks covers the Greek classical period
and includes discussions on Greek literature, science,
philosophy, architecture, sculpture, and painting.

Highet, Gilbert, The Classical Tradition, Oxford University Press, 1949.

The Classical Tradition goes into great detail in explaining
the major events/movements that defined Classicism. The author
not only includes key classical movements, but also discusses
the impact of classical work on more contemporary writers.