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PODCAST

Instant Classics

Join world-renowned classicist Mary Beard and Guardian chief culture writer Charlotte Higgins for Instant Classics — the weekly podcast that proves ancient history is still relevant. Ancient stories, modern twists… and no degree in Classics required. Become a Member of the Instant Classics Book Club here: https://instantclassics.supportingcast.fm/

history

All Episodes

49:02

Cassandra: Prophet Of The Modern World?

Instant Classics ·

2025/10/09

Who was the mythical Cassandra and why have pop stars started singing about her? Mary and Charlotte turn sleuth and track the elusive Trojan princess through the pages of ancient texts - from Homer’s Iliad to Virgil’s Aeneid. Today, Cassandra is most famous as a prophetess who could predict the future, but was cursed to never be believed. As a result, Troy burned and Agamemnon and Cassandra herself were murdered. Generally, that disbelieving was done by men. No wonder people talk of Greta Thunberg

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34:26

How did Rome begin?

Instant Classics ·

2025/10/02

We all know what Rome became - largest empire of the ancient world, public bathing, gladiators, aqueducts, excellent roads and all that - but how did it begin? Who founded it? When? And why? Mary and Charlotte sift through the various myths that give some insight to these questions. Peel back the layers of history and Rome’s origins are lost in the bog on which it was built. Archaeology offers us evidence of Bronze Age huts, burial practice and trade with neighbouring (and far-flung) lands, but

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52:47

Decoding The Parthenon

Instant Classics ·

2025/09/25

The Parthenon is one of the most celebrated and recognisable buildings in the world, but what did it mean to the Ancient Greeks? What role did it play in Greek society? And what did it look like in its heyday? Together, Mary and Charlotte decode the Parthenon. By happy coincidence, Mary is not just co-host of Instant Classics, but author of Charlotte’s favourite book on the subject: The Parthenon (Profile/Harvard University Press, 2002). In this episode, Mary and Charlotte pick their way through

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47:48

Free Speech - An Ancient History

Instant Classics ·

2025/09/18

In the wake of recent conflicts over free speech and acts of political violence, Mary and Charlotte discuss how - then as now - free speech dominated the political agenda in the ancient world, with wildly different interpretations about what it meant and who got to decide. They discuss two distinct, yet complimentary principles in Ancient Athenian democracy: Parrhesia (free or frank speech) and isegoria (the equal right to speak). In theory, parrhesia preserved the right to speak truth to power,

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25:08

The Odyssey#2: "Tell Me About A Complicated Man, Muse"

Instant Classics ·

2025/09/16

Tell me about a complicated man, muse… In this episode of Instant Classics Book Club, Mary and Charlotte dwell on the first ten lines of The Odyssey (as translated by Emily Wilson) and show how it contains not only a summary of the story that follows, but introduces the themes, the subject, and the way the story will be told. Whoever Homer was, they were not a blind sage belting out rudimentary lyrics to listeners round a camp fire, but a sophisticated story-teller/s working and re-working their

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51:31

What Sappho Still Teaches Us About Love

Instant Classics ·

2025/09/11

In Ancient Greece, the Iliad was the poem above all other poems - an epic full of war and bloodshed that tells of the great heroes who fought and died for Troy. But not so long after the supposed composition of the Iliad, a woman on the Mediterranean island of Lesbos, close to the coast of modern-day Turkey, introduced a new and enduring note to poetry: desire. Her name was Sappho. She was revered through the Ancient World, but today only one work survives in its entirety: a poem usually known

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42:05

A Day At The Races In Ancient Rome

Instant Classics ·

2025/09/04

Think ‘Roman sport’ and images of Kirk Douglas, Russell Crowe, Paul Mescal and other Hollywood gladiators may come to mind. But while the Romans were partial to blood-sports, chariot-racing was the really big thing. The archaeological remains of chariot-racing tracks have been found all over the Roman Empire, but none suggest a scale or grandeur close to the Circus Maximus in Rome. At full capacity, we think it could take a quarter of a million people - that’s twice the largest football stadium

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17:23

The Odyssey#1: Journey Begins

Instant Classics ·

2025/09/02

(We hope you enjoy this introduction to The Odyssey. To continue the journey, please join the Instant Classics Book Club at https://instantclassics.supportingcast.fm/New episodes will be published every other Tuesday, and available exclusively for members beginning 30th September. Sign up now with the promo code EARLYBIRD25 to receive a 25% discount on membership). The Odyssey, along with its sister text, The Iliad, is often considered the bedrock of western literature. In it are the seeds of

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3:37

Introducing the Instant Classics Book Club - The Odyssey

Instant Classics ·

2025/09/01

Dropping tomorrow, and every other Tuesday, the Instant Classics Book Club.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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43:56

Which Roman Emperor is Donald Trump?

Instant Classics ·

2025/08/28

For a long time being a classicist didn’t exactly make you a hit at a party. Then along came Donald Trump and suddenly everybody wants to know: Which Roman emperor is he most like? In this inaugural episode of Instant Classics, Mary Beard and Charlotte Higgins confront the question they are asked the most. And, as ever when Mary Beard is involved, the answer isn’t always as simple as you might think. Mary and Charlotte explain how most of what we know about the emperors is unreliable. We do get

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1:22

Instant Classics - Trailer

Instant Classics ·

2025/08/19

A new podcast hosted by Mary Beard and Charlotte Higgins. Ancient stories, modern twists… and no degree in Classics required. Episode 1 Available on Thursday, August 28th, 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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31 results

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