About this episode

Mary Beard discusses her new book and the significance of classical studies in understanding culture and history.

In this episode, Mary and Charlotte’s special guest is… Mary Beard! On the day of publication of her new book, Talking Classics, Mary does just that - talks classics with Charlotte. Talking Classics is a summation of Mary’s 50 years study of the ancient world. In this intimate conversation, Mary talks about discovering a fascination with history as a child and her teenage delight in joining the local dig (and, more importantly, apres-dig) in Shropshire. She also discusses the value she finds in studying the classical world - the way we’re forced to acknowledge kinship and difference with other cultures, develop empathy, tolerate difference and reflect upon our own values. In the second half, Mary and Charlotte look at how the classical world has been adopted by different causes throughout history. Some we might approve of - like resistance to tyranny and gay rights - others which are more uncomfortable, like fascism and imperialism. And we hear the fascinating story of Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli, a left-wing classicist in Italy, who had to show Hitler and Mussolini around the sites of Ancient Rome. Mary and Charlotte recommend some further reading: This isn’t meant to be an…

People in this episode

Host: Charlotte

Guest: Mary Beard

Topics covered

• classical studies
• history
• cultural empathy
• ancient world
• political appropriation
• fascism
• gay rights

Keywords

• Mary Beard
• Talking Classics
• classical studies
• history
• cultural empathy
• Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli
• Hitler
• Mussolini

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Profilebooks

Books & works: Talking Classics, Hitler e Mussolini, 1938

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• Perpetua: A Martyr in Her Own Words · April 9, 2026 · 53 min
• Antigone: Girl vs Tyrant · April 2, 2026 · 52 min
• Roman Graffiti: The Writing on the Wall · March 26, 2026 · 54 min
• The Great Plague of Athens · March 19, 2026 · 53 min
• What Did the Romans Eat? Part 2: Plebs’ Food · March 12, 2026 · 44 min

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