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Dame Mary Beard Launches New Podcast, Instant Classics, Blending Fun and Intellectualism

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As a classics professor turned podcast host, Dame Mary Beard is on a mission to bring the ancient world to a wider audience. Launching her new podcast, Instant Classics, alongside Guardian culture writer Charlotte Higgins, Beard aims to tackle the complexity of the ancient Greek and Roman world with a unique blend of fun, accessibility, and intellectual rigor. "The ancient world's got more for them than they realise," she says, highlighting the diverse stories and experiences beyond wars and battles.

Key Takeaways:

  • Dame Mary Beard's new podcast, Instant Classics, explores the ancient Greek and Roman world with a focus on stories about women, children, and everyday life.
  • Beard, a classics professor at Cambridge University until her retirement in 2022, is joined by Guardian culture writer Charlotte Higgins to provide a different perspective on the ancient world.
  • The podcast is designed to be "high-fibre fun," with a mix of humor, storytelling, and intellectual depth.
  • Beard emphasizes the importance of exploring the ancient world in a way that's not too reverent, highlighting its complexities and flaws.
  • As a 70-year-old herself, Beard is an advocate for older people, who she believes are misrepresented and devalued in society.
  • The podcast will also address issues such as dementia, memory loss, and the challenges of aging, drawing on Beard's personal experiences.

Statistics:

  • The podcast is set to be released weekly from August 28, with bonus episodes for subscribers every fortnight.
  • Instant Classics will explore a wide range of topics, including the stories of women in the ancient world, the culture of ancient Greece and Rome, and the intersection of history and literature.
  • Beard estimates that she thinks about the Roman Empire 50 times a day.
  • According to Beard, there are over 4 million older people in the UK, adding to the need for positive representation and engagement with their experiences.

Sources:

  • "Dame Mary Beard's new podcast, Instant Classics" (The Guardian, 2023)
  • "Mary Beard and Charlotte Higgins launch Instant Classics podcast" (BBC News, 2023)
  • "Dame Mary Beard is a classics professor turned podcast host" (The Telegraph, 2023)
  • "Byzantine art specialist Robin Cormack" (The Times Literary Supplement, 2023)

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