Mary Beard on Lessons from Ancient Rome
Ancient
•
24m
The deepening political divide in the U.S. and an apparent realignment of the world order through President Trump’s foreign policy have prompted many comparisons to the fall of the Roman Empire. But can we really look back at ancient civilisations and draw parallels with those that exist today? And can the lessons of the past really help us to tackle the challenges of the present? More than clear-cut historical comparisons, Mary Beard – arguably the world’s most famous classicist and Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge – thinks that the ancient world allows us to see beyond our own context to analyse how power and authority work across the ages. In this fascinating interview, which sweeps from discussing how the gorgon Medusa reflects on Hillary Clinton to how the Roman Empire tackled issues of migration and diversity, Mary Beard discusses how history can inspire the present, or whether it is doomed to always repeat itself.
Up Next in Ancient
-
The Road to Rome
The Roman Empire was one of the greatest in history. At its height it stretched from northern Britain to the Persian Gulf, its might epitomised by the effectiveness of its core military unit: the Roman legion. The aqueduct, sanitation, irrigation, medicine, education, wine, public baths – all thi...
-
A Tour of Fishbourne Palace
In 1960, a man was laying a waterpipe underneath the quaint village of Fishbourne near Chichester, West Sussex, when he uncovered what looked like Roman remains. After he duly reported the discover, the archaeologists were called in and they quickly unearthed more and more prestigious finds. They...
-
Rise and Fall of Roman Richborough
Richborough was one of the longest Roman-occupied sites in Britain, with history stretching from the Claudian invasion of Britain in 43 AD to the Roman departure almost 4 centuries later. During its long history Richborough transformed on several occasions. From military base to prosperous port t...
