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 Ninth Legion: The Mystery
In the second and final episode of this series, Tristan Hughes explores the numerous theories regarding the eventual fate of the Ninth Legion. Was it lost on the northern frontier of Britain, by the Rhine, or massacred in the East? Featuring Dr Miles Russell, Dr Rebecca Jones, Dr Simon Elliott, L...
-
Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden ...
Tutankhamun, 'The Boy King' of Ancient Egypt, is one of history's most famous names. Though his short reign proved fairly-insignificant, his legacy lives on thanks to Howard Carter's discovery of his magnificent tomb in 1922. Now, as the centenary of Carter's discovery creeps ever nearer, many of...
-
Sex Lives of the Ancient Romans
Joined by historian Honor Cargill-Martin, Tristan Hughes explores the real sex lives of ancient Rome.
From popular series to kinky paintings, there is a recurring image today of Romans as sex-mad degenerates. And although there are sex stories in the dozens from the Roman period, when it comes ...
