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20 Questions With Dame Mary Beard

Dec 30, 2025
58 mins

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Episode Description

Britain's most famous classicist, Dame Mary Beard, takes us on a journey through her life and career, offering insights and anecdotes along the way. What would the Romans have been like on X? 
Should we pass moral judgements on those who lived thousands of years ago? Does being a classicist make you a better person? Does she see herself as an outsider? Who's her favourite Roman woman? Is it possible to touch the past? Does she empathise with those who died in Pompeii? What is civilisation? Over the course of almost an hour, Dame Mary reveals how she reacted to being insulted by AA Gill, reflects on being attacked on social media, gives her verdict on the rise of AI, discusses recovering the voices of the ordinary from ancient history, explains how she got into Classics, emphasises why the subject matters, and champions the ongoing translations of ancient texts. This is a chance to hear from a world famous figure who has managed to combine being a serious academic with an ability to communicate to millions.
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