The Rest Is History

105. Classics

Oct 7, 2021

Join Professor Mary Beard, a distinguished classicist from Cambridge University, as she delves into the evolving legacy of ancient Greece and Rome. The conversation spans the bizarre imagery of Dante’s Hell featuring Julius Caesar and the controversial calls to cancel Classics in modern times. Mary highlights the enduring influence of classics on literature and culture, questions the elitism in classical studies, and even entertains a humorous debate about whether Alexander the Great or Julius Caesar would dominate in a historical showdown.

01:02:44

Episode guests

Mary Beard

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

The 12 Caesars

01:51

Classical Politics in the Classical World

01:40

Intro

2min

Exploring the Enduring Legacy of Classical Literature

6min

Interpreting the 12 Caesars: Legacy and Influence

14min

Exploring Greco-Roman Influence in the Renaissance

4min

The Value of Support Systems

7min

Classics and Colonial Narratives

28min

A Battle of Titans: Alexander the Great vs. Julius Caesar

3min

The world’s most famous classicist, Professor Mary Beard, joins Tom and Dominic to discuss how the legacy of classical Greece and Rome has been interpreted and re-interpreted over the past millennium and a half. They range from Dante’s Satan snacking on Julius Caesar’s assassins in Hell to recent demands in the United States that Classics itself should be cancelled.

*The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*:

Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia!

Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com

Twitter:

@TheRestHistory

@holland_tom

@dcsandbrook

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