* Merit and Responsibility: A Study in Greek Values (1960): This is Adkins' most famous work, exploring the transition from a Homeric world of honor and social status to a later Athenian world focused on personal merit and individual responsibility.
* From the Many to the One: A Study of the Development of the Idea of the Individual in the Homeric Epics (1970): Adkins examined the evolving concept of the individual in early Greek literature, starting with Homer's epic poems.
* The Greek View of Morality: A Study in Recent Work on Greek Ethics (1975): Here, Adkins critiqued contemporary interpretations of Greek ethics, emphasizing the need to understand the historical context of these philosophical concepts.
* Moral Values and Political Behaviour in Ancient Greece (1972): Adkins explored the connection between moral beliefs and political practices in ancient Greece, highlighting the cultural and historical influences on ethical thought.
Adkins' work was highly influential in the field of Classics, and his writings continue to be studied and debated by scholars today.