Intelligence Squared Mary Beard on Images of Power from the Ancient to the Modern World
Oct 26, 2021
Mary Beard, a renowned classicist from Cambridge, dives into the shifting representations of power through art in her latest discussion. She examines how ancient Roman emperors like Augustus and Nero mirror contemporary politics and culture. Beard unpacks the complexities behind the images of power, including the roles of women in historical narratives. The conversation also touches on modern obsessions with statues and how these figures reflect societal values, highlighting the enduring implications of artistic representation on our understanding of authority.
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Twelve Caesars
- The "Twelve Caesars" are the first twelve Roman emperors, popularized by Suetonius's biographies.
- Though not an official group historically, they became synonymous with Roman power during the Renaissance.
Identifying Roman Busts
- Identifying Roman busts is challenging because most lack names and rely on coin image comparisons.
- Modern methods haven't significantly improved identification, and assumptions heavily influence interpretations.
Enduring Images of Power
- Roman emperor images became shorthand for power and are recognizable even without specific knowledge.
- These images are imitated and appropriated in modern contexts, like Nero as the inattentive politician or Augustus advertising beer.
