Dame Mary Beard on Co-Hosting a New Podcast on Ancient Greece and Rome, Ageing, and Sustaining a 40-Year Marriage

Strategic Insights -

Dame Mary Beard is set to launch a new podcast, Instant Classics, alongside the Guardian's culture writer Charlotte Higgins. The podcast will delve into the ancient Greek and Roman world, exploring its relevance to modern life and myths. Beard, a classicist and author, is excited to bring a fresh perspective to the topic, focusing on stories of women, children, and everyday life in ancient civilizations.

Key Takeaways:

  • Dame Mary Beard will co-host the podcast, Instant Classics, with Charlotte Higgins, exploring the ancient Greek and Roman world and its relevance to modern life.
  • The podcast aims to show people that the ancient world has more to offer than just stories of wars and battles, but also stories of women, children, and everyday life.
  • Beard believes that the ancient world is not totally admirable and will not hold back from discussing its flaws and complexities.
  • The podcast will offer a "different eye" on the ancient world, highlighting the fact that there were women in ancient civilizations and fleshing out their stories.
  • Beard mentions that she finds reports of 'men thinking daily about the Roman Empire' amusing, and she thinks about the Roman Empire 50 times a day.
  • The podcast will also cover topics such as ageing and what it means to be an older person in modern society.
  • Beard considers herself an "extremely privileged older person" due to her "gold-plated pension" and believes that a happy, fulfilled, and contributing group of pensioners is good for the country and themselves.
  • The podcast is available weekly, with bonus Instant Classics Book Club episodes every fortnight for subscribers.

Statistics:

  • Dame Mary Beard is 70 years old.
  • The podcast, Instant Classics, is available weekly.
  • Bonus Instant Classics Book Club episodes are available every fortnight for subscribers.
  • 40 years is the number of years Dame Mary Beard has been married to Byzantine art specialist Robin Cormack.

Sources:

  • Interview with Dame Mary Beard in The Guardian.