Mary Beard on SPQR: The History of Ancient Rome

The Cambridge professor Mary Beard launched S.P.Q.R., A History of Ancient Rome, with massive fanfare. Come discover why she’s considered one of the world’s foremost classicists and why you’ll never think of Julius Caesar, Cicero or Nero in the same way again. Recorded November 10, 2015.
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[@KRISTIANITY_]

She's such an amazing personality, every bit as deeply knowledgeable about Rome as any other highly regarded scholar, yet not in the least overly dignified and soaked in pomposity. Mary Beard is truly the historian to revive THE PEOPLE of Rome, and not just those who assassinated each other up on the Palatine. Thank you for uploading the lecture.

[@Cruisey1234]

She's a pest. A champagne Socialist who analyses history through rose-colored lenses and uses weasel words of egalitarianism to alter the truth.

[@Cruisey1234]

That's not what I meant.

[@Cruisey1234]

"Muh Roman Republic multiculturalism"

[@Cruisey1234]

She is a left wing socialist spewing untruths and lies about Rome. Everything she says in this video and her documentaries has left wing undertones, it's basically propaganda lying to people about the way Rome really was. 'People coming together this', 'multiculturalism' that is all her material consists of. She is an amateur - The BBC could have found far better people to use for their documentary than this half-wit but the people who actually know anything about history tend not to be socialist freaks like Mary Beard. Insufferable woman.

[@tophers3756]

Ryan, blinded by your ideology, I see.

[@jc.connor5882]

Fabulous. I could listen to Mary all day. So engaging.

[@tavanemoore1260]

I LOVE how we can see her own interests in what she's saying in her facial expressions, pauses and body language! She's a favorite!

[@hallets1956]

Mary explains things so even a peanut would understand it. "Togas up, pants down, everybody shitting together" Can't get a better description that that. I love this woman.

[@juliechi6166]

She is amazing.

[@lilyrose9888]

Mary is the best of the best. She brings history alive, definitely an authority on the Roman empire

[@lilyrose9888]

Ps l love this lady

[@inkcap1002]

as a stone mason and some one who works in the heritage industry i have to say that mary is the most informative interesting and knowledgeable lady i have ever had the privilege to watch and listen to ,and makes the subject of classics understandable to the layman,and like me understandable to the layman with a keen interest in history. thankyou mary beard .

[@AD-kv9kj]

Mary makes the finest, most carefully studied and well-presented documentaries on ancient Rome in the world. Like Carl Sagan in presenting his series, Cosmos, the genuine passion and carefully studied knowledge and humanity comes through in her presentation a sadly extremely rare skill these days as most documentaries are overblown junk full of vague facts, poorly understood and focused almost entirely on "epic" (ie, annoying) music, special effects and some airhead presenter more concerned with trying to look cool than with actual connection with the audience and real teaching.

[@anuradhainamdar8967]

I agree, though had never heard of Dame Mary Beard before. This lecture on Roman rule was interesting. Have seen many Hollywood movies on Roman empire, her comment that that Caesar was a hero as well as a dangerous dictator was immensely helpful.

[@richardstevens2867]

Love the lecture, no image of the ring was a bit a of disappointment.

[@prophetherbandderp2733]

yep I failed at finding it on google too.

[@danielchequer5842]

I was expecting for some coment with the link, this is really frustrating for me

[@bluecoloredlines]

My thoughts exactly, the cameraperson really slept on this one, I suspect they weren’t even listening. You had one job.

[@ajayredonkulus6628]

@@bluecoloredlines It was intentional. It's almost certain that the Duke allowed her to use the image for this lecture. You are not attending the lecture, you're watching a filmed version of it. The image is not able to be found online because that's how private collections work.

[@SerDunk]

Her documentaries are SO great! Highly recommend them :)

[@p0xus]

Thank you for uploading this lecture, Mary Beard is one of the best Roman historians in my opinion. Although... I wish you would have shown us the ring.

[@MattieK09]

apparently you don't know that many scholars then ...

[@ArmorDoge]

Matt K sigh

[@emiliodiaz3927]

Matt K can you name me some I’m tired of Mary myself ...

[@emiliodiaz3927]

Justin Legault thanks 🙏 Mary beard seems to have a monopoly on Rome in KZbin lol

[@SassyMa_]

@@MattieK09 Rude! Gezzz...?

[@barbarab3255]

I LOVE her, she would be my dream dinner guest! and Terry Jones

[@shellyhill6804]

If you pull that off I'd like to come too, please. 😬

[@RobRoyBoaz]

Me too !

[@malvolio01]

Mary Beard, Napoleon and Donald Trump

[@fedyno4reviews]

Tony Robinson

[@mrpatriot8279]

Me also but also invite Dr. Thomas Madden Medieval scholar and Dr Peter Heather

[@northrupn10b]

Fantastic! The book is highly readable. No wonder she is such a beloved figure-so down to earth.

[@Labienus]

Is it highly readable?

[@leonlawson2196]

@@Labienus Its highly readable.

[@lightningplasma]

I love Mary's roman history documentaries. Mary has this ability, through her narrative, to transport you back in time to the roman world. thanks Mary

[@xyz12383941]

More Mary! Adore Mary.

[@darkfuture3291]

Mary is absolutely brilliant as ever and the sound recording is good quality. A little miffed that at 41 minutes in she discusses at length the discovery of an emperor's ring and when she says 'and here it is', we do not get to see it. I resisted making any crude jokes here.

[@01mattsparks]

The editor was snoozing at that point

[@ChoppingtonOtter]

Mary Beard always brings out the human side rather than just dry facts.

[@ulteriormotive1863]

What do you mean by "the human side", the subject is human history. The facts are what is necessary, nobody gives a shit about your feely-feels.

[@stevenpicanso6801]

Mary gives us not just facts, but some intricate details that may be overlooked by other scholars, or rather just disregarded. Perfect example, her closing sentence(s) about her angle of beliefs on Brutus and Cassius. She is able to paint a picture with her facts, revealing in our own opinions and thoughts; what to make of ancient Rome from a realistic perspective.

[@squamish4244]

The feely-feels matter, because that a big part of what we are. History is taught all wrong in schools, like these people were somehow not like us. But they were, and the best historians communicate that.

[@PresidentSunday]

I suggest that you don't read many scholars of ancient Rome if you think that intricate or private details aren't central in a large number of them.

[@yaboyed5779]

Her love and passion for Rome makes her documentaries so beautiful.

[@rickbruno3975]

A wonderful, fun and informative lecture! It would have been nice to see Scipio's ring, though.

[@AmericanShia786]

Thanks for posting this video. Prof. Mary Beard is an excellent scholar, writer, and lecturer.

[@erinb7513]

♥️ you Mary. I'm not big on lectures of any sort but can't stop watching. Absolutely ♥️ your Meet the Romans series.. we need more, plz, plz, plz..

[@BonanzaRoad]

Excellent lecture...and SPQR is a fascinating, well written and compelling book...

[@n.l.vannstallings4664]

I'm so proud of her and everything she has accomplished. I would absolutely love to travel with her. Mary, thank you for giving the common people of history a voice.

[@jesleysnipes3758]

Incredible! Love your work Mary Beard!

[@boxorfurnace]

After reading her book, SPQR, I spent a couple of weeks traveling around the back roads of Rome looking at the “living history” that still exists all over that town. Thanks Mary!

[@jendisini5104]

Thanks for posting this. Saves us a trip to cambridge!

[@Temujin1991]

This woman is my absolute favourite historian. She's the reason I aspire to be one

[@zyxw2000]

I've been bingeing on her videos. Wish my history instructors in college had been like her.

[@JayDoubleYou]

my personal favorite person on British Television, Mary is so interesting Great at Explaining Everything Rome, I think I've watched every Documentary she's done learnt so much xxx

[@Shoff78]

I'm sure Cicero would have appreciated the idea of Mary Beard talking about Scipio Bearded. If she made the talk in Barbados, she'd never hear the end of it!

[@JayDoubleYou]

I'm instantly Transported back to Roman days when she explains the way it was xxx

[@dawnsellitti7968]

I just got her book SPQR. Mary Is so passionate about history.

[@1cenobite]

This was such a fun read , Highly recommend.

[@fessellsahmed2587]

Mass respect and love for Mary. Learnt so much. True celebrity for me.

[@mikepxg6406]

Brilliant. Thank you.

[@waltertaljaard1488]

A Dutch parlementarian, who was newly elected in 2017, also opened his maiden speech with a quotation from Cicero's 'In Catalinam.'

[@ashlynwanderer2107]

the questions at the end: 45:29 48:01 49:29 50:43 53:19 56:28 56:40

[@BilgemasterBill]

Sadly, this is not the first time I've watched one of these lectures by Dr. Beard where they've neglected to display some key visual element mentioned...just the one that gave me the sorest case of blueballs. Show the RING!!! The Precious....The Precious...

[@hikemastersomg]

from 11:05 onward priceless and just pure gold! And with her wonderful pronunciations!!!! L m a o!!!!!!

[@HappyQuailsLC]

I thought that Latin was primarily a written language and one of proclamations and formal announcements, rather than being a conversational, day to day intimately shared language used among individuals at home and privately.

[@jcortese3300]

Just ordered her book thanks to this lecture.

[@CAnon-mg1xm]

Mary is fantastic. I wish I could travel Rome with HER!.

[@lightningplasma]

I wished Mary would do more documentaries on the eastern roman empire. The history of Byzantium seems limited/lacking in the literature or maybe I'm not looking hard enough to find more sources.

[@colmhain]

John Romer wrote and presented an excellent doc on the Eastern Roman Empire called "Byzantium". Key word it on a KZbin search, you'll find it.

[@samdefore2692]

Byzantine is a made up word and they never called themselves that. It’s another Northern European historian who decided to rewrite history start uses the word Byzantine

[@bobfrog4836]

Check out John Julius Norwich. He's written a solid history of the Byzantine empire.

[@andrewhassett4282]

One of the best people to explore Rome in a long time. Good lecture...but wtf? SHOW US THE RING!!!

[@christinehart9106]

I KNOW!!!!

[@reneknaap1745]

Yes!!!! Waiting, waiting…. But there may be special family conditions

[@kendn01]

WHY didn't they show Scipio's signet ring after Mary Beard's story??????????? ANNOYING

[@Daniel-kc8br]

How can you not show us the ring?! Why?!

[@tobitoes1052]

Because there are no pictures of it and it's actually in his sarcophagus in the Vatican. It would be pretty much impossible to show a picture of it

[@professorsogol5824]

@@tobitoes1052 That's not what she said. She explained how the ring went from the Vatican to a French scholar and on to someone in England where it ended up in a castle in the north of England, and she clicks the controller for her slides and said "Here it is" So why don't the people at the 92st Y show use the image she projected???

[@danielchequer5842]

@@professorsogol5824 exactly, there are no images on google of the ring. That was very frustrating

[@kirstinhagglund8788]

I love Ms Beard and would listen to her all day ❤

[@HappyQuailsLC]

I would have really liked to see the ring!

[@omarilawson6250]

Oh no, they forgot to show the ring from Scipio Barbatus' tomb at Alnwick! How frustrating!!!

[@jibberjabberman]

shes one of the five guests id have around my table for any dinner

[@arvindominguez5743]

This women got in interested into Ancient Rome at age of 18 and now I’m 22 years of age glad to say I’ve studied well over many great eras from the Romans, Greece, Aztec to modern Hitler henrich Himmler ! Such history should not be forgotten

[@Splodge542]

One of my favourite professors on the telly. It's a short list.

[@kestockbridge]

Betthany Huges is also very good.

[@lochvids108]

Love logical thinkers always 😁♥️

[@brendawarren4113]

Was the camera operator on break, so that we didn't get to see the ring? Inconceivable.

[@howardjohnston6112]

I am reading S.P.Q.R. at the moment. Her authorship is excellent with a very almost conversational style. I find it a real page-turner. I love ancient history but generally read more about the Greeks. So I turned to her for a basic complete Roman history book, and was very pleased by the result. One thing I think she neglects a little is perhaps just how much the Romans were 'Hellenised'. But apart from that minor quibble I have no problem in recommending this work to everybody!!!

[@martianemperor5137]

See the Intelegence squared debate Greece V Rome She proves the Romans to have, of the MOST part, a non-greek culture. The idea that Rome plagerized Greece is dead.

[@MrDieselakias]

I've watched this debate. It is unfair to say that Rome did not plagiarize Greece.cThe whole western world is heavily influenced by Greece whereas Roman philosophers and scholars expressed their admiration for greek stuff. She just said that part of the Roman architecture is a bit modified greek architecture and not exact copy. Of course, it couldn't be exactly the same...In terms of a debate, it is normal to go a bit over the top and imply that Rome wasn''t Hellenised.

[@martianemperor5137]

@@MrDieselakias Wrong, USA was founded on ROMAN beliefs in LIBERTAS... As was Republican France, just read the literature. Robespiere, Washington etc all credited Rome for their beliefs. Napoleon admiration of Rome etc Napoleon even held the title First CONSUL, as in ROMAN consulship... Also the best sellers of antiquity are the works of JULIUS CAESAR, not Euripedes, Plato or any Greek.

[@martianemperor5137]

@@MrDieselakias Rome had large public lavatories and a fire department, Greece had neither...

[@MrDieselakias]

hey, these are just statements taken from her speech at the debate...Romans copied Greeks and imitated and adopted their culture. Talking about fire departments in the ancient years is done just to show-off. Of course they had better organization on this stuff because they needed it, they had to deal with big structures in a vast city...this doesn't mean that they were superior. If it wasn't for Greeks, western world wouldn't have existed at all. Romans were helllenised, this went on until the Turks captured Constantinople and Greek scholars started the Renaissance.

[@magicnovos4900]

my best teacher of history

[@samdefore2692]

Quite amazing that their Roman burial 2500 years ago is exactly how we ourselves bury our dead. Even the design of the casket quite similar something you could see today, inscriptions memorializing is a tradition we do today.

[@acchaladka]

If Dame Mary were available for dinner with Cicero, I’d be all in. Let’s add Leonardo Da Vinci or Dante Alighieri, and probably the biblical Ruth if she existed, or Hypatia.

[@leoleonard1580]

I can’t believe they don’t show the ring!?

[@Spckeck]

... A defense of Caesar from someone other then me!?! Nice.

[@robertcalamusso4218]

Mary is a genius and wonderful educator - bravo Mary !!! ✋🏻

[@intractablemaskvpmGy]

Mary is so awesome! I'm looking forward to the day that the Dollar is stronger than the pound (arriving soon in 2017). Then I will pay perhaps equal value for a lackluster stay in London.

[@clarkkent4595]

Positive answer

[@oldi184]

Wow! A man from Palmyra in Syria traveled almost 4000 km to Hadrian's wall he bought a local slave - a woman called Regina he fell in love with her, he freed her, and married her 1800 years ago. What a story! The Roman Empire was like none the other.

[@chriseliothernandez]

Show the frigging ring dang it.

[@revolutionoutdoorsandstuff5846]

Mary's the best!

[@andrewchim807]

Why didn't you show the ring!?!

[@sslaia]

This is how I wish my history teacher should have been...

[@michaeljrothenberg]

wheres the picture of the ring?

[@hunkhk]

What a woman - love her passion and intellect

[@treintaydiez]

I absolutely love this woman

[@prophetherbandderp2733]

Not showing Barbatus's ring was a let down.

[@nickmoser7785]

I always find it interesting that many lower-class foods in the ancient and medieval epochs are now considered to be the diet of the upper class. Also, I find it odd that Roman cuisine is closer to modern Asian food than modern Italian food. An example would be the use of fish sauce which is usually an Asian thing(especially in the South-East) but occasionally is used in European cuisine; such as Garum/Colatura di alici, Anchovy essence, and Worchester sauce. I could be wrong I am a bit simple.

[@jasonhare8540]

I'm a simple man . I see Mary Beard I hit like ... If you're just now finding this in 2022 like I did you may or may not know she just released a documentary. Very up to date and she does show us the ice cores . It's very cool no pun intended . *Imagine living a full life and basically being remembered for your sex life . I don't know who decided to put that on that woman's tombstone but I hope she had that kind of sense of humor .

[@amgymrat4546]

No ring picture?! Ugh

[@joe9092410767]

I was thinking of who ud choose to sit with from ancient Rome and my choices were the same. Esp. When it co es to aggripina. She's fascinating

[@lloovvaallee]

I want to see the ring.

[@9391862]

+lloovvaallee me too.

[@Badtastemamma]

+lloovvaallee it will be for legal reasons probably

[@MontyGumby]

what do you mean ?

[@kierangormley6698]

Alongside Dennis Skinner and Owen Jones the one person I would give anything to meet and talk to. Or should I say listen to !!!

[@MarieAntoinette1938_tmc]

why don't they show the ring ???

[@trueromancat7978]

Let's start a poll:) if you could meet an Ancient Romans, a man and a woman, who would they be and why?

[@josephmoore4764]

+Isabella H Easily Marcus Aurelius

[@maxkurtson9892]

+Isabella H An old Augustus Caesar

[@eduardomen81]

+Joseph Moore kind of obvious for people who know . .. .

[@PosthumousAddress]

+Joseph Moore Good choice! Have you read Meditations? I'm not at all religious, but I find reading it to be a deeply moving, almost spiritual, experience. The idea that someone can reach out and touch your mind from 2000 years previously... and in such a personal way. I completely agree, I would choose Marcus Aurelius

[@khalidalali351]

Germanicus and his great father Nero Claudius Drusus! and I would love to meet Octavia daughter of Atia and sister of Octavius Augustus ! Why? Nero Drusus: He was the epitome of manliness, and I would love to be his student. Germanicus: The manifestation and embodiment of courage, wisdom, modesty, justice, and empathy. I would have loved to fight under his banners in Germania against the traitor Arminius. Octavia: Simply because she was a goddess among people not only women. Ps: I do recommend that everyone should read John Edward William's novel "Augustus."

[@-narc-5495]

Dude the amount of freaking ads

[@fuferito]

As learned and knowledgeable as Mary Beard is, her pronouncing of famous Roman names, like Africanus and Aemilianus as 'Afri-kaynus' and 'Aemili-eynus' is baffling.

[@asburycollins9182]

that changes with country and tutors.

[@TheByteknight]

Not showing the ring.. ??

[@tempiodelgusto69]

Send those downvoters for a day into the old sewers of Rome ...that will teach them .

[@listonheinz9103]

Free tip: Set speed to 1.25x. Flows very well.

[@squamish4244]

Are you not entertained?

[@stringflogger]

SHOW ME THE FRICKING RING!

[@emilywong4601]

What is the title of her book?

[@user-vh1si2zl9w]

SPQR a history of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard it’s quite good and well written

[@tylersherritt937]

You really didn’t get the information from watching? 🤣

[@FAMA-18]

The only thing is , I didn’t agree with her view on Julius Caesar.

[@princessbubblee699]

Jesus Christ. Who the hell edited this? The big reveal is the signet ring which they don't bother to show.

[@ElinT13]

Maybe they did not chow the ring, because the owner holds the copyright to its pictures and does not want it to be shown?

[@princessbubblee699]

Maybe then they shouldn't make a video of a lecture where it's the big reveal?

[@ElinT13]

Just because you cannot see one picture out of a lecture of an hour? That'd be a pity.

[@princessbubblee699]

Quite an idiotic defense.

[@ElinT13]

No, a sensible one instead of making a big fuss over a single picture.

[@robertgiles9124]

When did Sister Wendy leave the Church, and why the name change? Asking for a friend.

[@lascolmenitas]

What!!?? After her in-depth description of the story of her finding this ring, you don't even show the ring?!! Who's asleep at the camera? No way would I subscribe to this channel.

[@lindascanlan6317]

Fascinating....fabulous lecture...sea urchin spikes....ouch!

[@mpetersen428]

I wonder how Mary Beard would now consider Cicero's response to the "Cataline Conspiracy" in relation to the rise of Donald Trump in the USA, presumably casting Trump in the role of Catalinus, in her description as the "aristocratic terrorist".

[@Stierlitz]

SHOW US THE FUCKING SIGNET RING!!!

[@tobitoes1052]

Impossible. It's in his sarcophagus in the Vatican so if you want pictures you'll have to take that up with the Pope

[@juanbautistagonzalezalvare4366]

Nero had bad press, he was gnostic.

[@konteyou]

reading on latin letters, with more than 50% latin words :))

[@Ivan-te5rv]

This woman is just fantastic despite I do not agree with some of her commnets.

[@velosnake9134]

Show us the ring! 🤣

[@darrenfreeman4936]

59:23

[@melonimurphy9077]

God I love her!

[@sophiao5855]

I have been listening to her for a few days and in love already, not just with content of her presentation but her as a woman. Her accent is not familiar to my ears tho. I feel like saying if you are choking or running outta breath why not take a break and come back sounding like a canadian/American. May be I can plug the audio into some software and change her accent to the desires of my eardrum. Justt saying...

[@ethanperkins9795]

Mary Beard has style..just saying