What is the point of studying Classics today?
Mary Beard explains why the ancient world still shocks, challenges, and reshapes how we think. Discover how Greek and Roman history can change your perspective, without offering easy answers.
In this conversation, renowned classicist Mary Beard explores how ancient Greece and Rome remain deeply relevant today, not as a guidebook for life, but as a way to see modern problems differently. You’ll learn how to approach classical history without intimidation, why “the shock of the old” still matters, and how anyone can join the conversation.
If you’ve ever wondered how ancient history connects to today’s world, this episode will change how you think about the past and the present.
KEY IDEAS:
• Why studying Classics isn’t about finding “answers”
• The idea of “The Shock of the Old” and why it still matters
• How ancient texts like Medea continue to unsettle us
• The danger of over-revering Greek and Roman history
• How Classics helps challenge modern “presentism”
• Can the ancient world teach us anything useful today?
• How to get into Classics without knowing Latin or Greek
• Why Classics has no single political agenda
• How the past has been used by both left and right movements
• Finding wonder (“thauma”) in ancient history
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction to Mary Beard & Talking Classics
00:23 Why the Classics still matter
01:24 Why we should revere the ancient world less
02:39 The “shock” of ancient culture (Medea example)
04:48 Wonder and awe in the ancient world
05:44 The Egyptian bread story (first encounter with history)
07:29 Making Classics accessible to everyone
08:43 Do the Greeks and Romans offer life lessons?
10:06 Using Classics to rethink modern problems
11:37 Presentism vs learning from the past
13:22 How to start engaging with Classics
15:04 Podcasts, media, and entry points into history
16:20 Seeing the classical world all around us
19:08 Technology (VR) and experiencing the past
21:05 Is Classics political?
22:25 How different ideologies use ancient history
24:48 Classics and democracy, revolution, and reform
25:38 Who “owns” the past?
26:18 Final thoughts
If you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to subscribe for more deep dives into history and ideas.
Learn More! Check out these LINKS
👉 Subscribe: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/subscribe?coupon=b28f7da1
👉 Watch the full episode: https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/p/mary-beard-why-you-should-argue-with
👉 Mary Beard's "Talking Classics: The Shock of the Old:: https://profilebooks.com/work/talking-classics/
What do you think: can the ancient world still teach us something today? Let me know in the comments.
GUEST Mary Beard – One of the world’s most influential classicists, Professor Emerita at Cambridge, and bestselling author of SPQR and Twelve Caesars. Known for making ancient history accessible, relevant, and thought-provoking.
#Classics #AncientHistory #MaryBeard #GreekHistory #RomanHistory
