8 minutes | Thursday, 23 October 2025
Dame Mary Beard is one of the world’s best known classicists, specialising in Ancient Rome. She's an Cambridge Emeritus Professor, where she’s taught classics for nearly four decades. You may have seen her on the BBC presenting her show 'Rome - Empire without limit', or 'Civilisations', or read her featured blog in 'The Times Literary Supplement'. She’s been a regular contributor on BBC Radio 4’s 'A Point of View'. And now has a new podcast 'Instant Classics' - with Charlotte Higgins.
Occasionally controversial in her astute observations about Ancient Rome, Mary has draws parallels with the modern and ancient worlds and shines a light on what history has to teach us about our power, gender and human nature.
At 6pm on Thursday 30 October, Mary will present her lecture “Tyrants, bureaucrats and victims - Do Roman emperors have anything to teach us?” as part of the Latsis Ceremony at the University of Geneva. Her talk will be in English. The event is free and without registration, subject to availability.
Dame Mary Beard spoke to Katt Cullen on the WRS Breakfast Show...