Introduction

In the second of two programmes marking In Our Time's 20th anniversary on 15th October, Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Shakespeare's versions of history, continuing with the Roman plays. Rome was the setting for Titus Andronicus, Julius Caesar, Coriolanus and parts of Antony and Cleopatra and these plays gave Shakespeare the chance to explore ideas too controversial for English histories. How was Shakespeare reimagining Roman history, and what impact has that had on how we see Rome today?

The image above is of Marlon Brando playing Mark Antony in a scene from the film version of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, 1953

With

Sir Jonathan Bate Provost of Worcester College, University of Oxford

Catherine Steel Professor of Classics and Dean of Research in the College of Arts at the University of Glasgow

And

Patrick Gray Associate Professor of English Studies at Durham University

Producer: Simon Tillotson