Rather than being a flighty survey of the period, beard provides an accessible, clear and interesting broad account of rome without watering it down. Oct 19, 2015 in spqr, an instant classic, mary beard narrates the history of rome with passion and without technical jargon and demonstrates how a slightly shabby iron age village rose to become the undisputed hegemon of the mediterranean wall street journal. The book covers roman history from its semimythical origins in roughly 753 bc to the decision by emperor caracalla in 212 ce to make all free adult males born within the empire roman citizens. Its history of empire, conquest, cruelty and excess is something against which we still judge ourselves. On one level, its a history of ancient rome from its foundation to 212 ce. Spqr is the abbreviation used by the ancient romans for the senate and people of rome. Listen to spqr a history of ancient rome by mary beard available from rakuten kobo. A partire da questo interrogativo, mary beard, docente a cambridge, in spqr ci offre una nuova visione della storia di roma, una storia caratterizzata da incredibili miti fondativi e grandi istituzioni politiche e sociali, da straordinarie conquiste militari e stupefacenti opere architettoniche, nonche, naturalmente, dalle gesta delle. Ancient rome was an imposing city even by modern standards, a sprawling imperial metropolis of more than a million inhabitants, a mixture of luxury and filth, liberty and exploitation, civic pride and murderous civil war that served as the seat of power for an empire that spanned from spain to syria. In caligula with mary beard, which aired on the bbc last summer, she tells viewers that the skull was a centerpiece. A history of ancient rome audiobook written by mary beard. A history of ancient rome ebook written by mary beard. Starting at the earliest settlements of ancient rome, beard concludes her history. When i posted my last blog, with a few grumps about people making feeble jokes about my name etc, i didnt quite know what.
To tell romes story in a way that is timely and comprehensible, one would need a guide like classicist mary beardwise and incredibly daring. Spqr audiobook by mary beard 9781501910791 rakuten kobo. A history of ancient rome audiobook by mary beard youtube. Written by mary beard, audiobook narrated by phyllida nash. Beard returns to this theme of what the evidence is and how much we can trust it throughout the book. Mary beard is one of our leading classical scholars and yet this is a very entertaining and readable or listenable book. This is the kind of question thats at the heart of beards book. Discover more authors youll love listening to on audible. As i read through i discover that the earliest copies of roman. New secrets revealed with mary beard on bbc one in march. Mary beard discussing her work at the boston athen. Mary beard, professor of classics at newham college, cambridge, as well as author of numerous books on the ancient world, is the next to step into the fray. She is a cambridge professor, but after you finish reading spqr.
A history of ancient rome audible audiobook unabridged. Perhaps britains bestknown scholar of antiquity, mary beard is a university of cambridge classicist, a fellow of newnham college, and a royal academy of the arts professor of ancient literature. Im fortunate on different levels and in different dimensions of good fortune. Opening the audiobook in 63 bce with the famous clash between the populist aristocrat catiline and cicero, the renowned politician and orator, beard animates this terrorist conspiracy, which was aimed at the very heart of the republic, demonstrating how this. A sweeping, revisionist history of the roman empire from one of our foremost classicists. A history of ancient rome by mary beard, paperback. Feb 09, 2018 the cult of mary beard podcast how a lateblossoming classics don became britains most beloved intellectual. Mary beard books list of books by author mary beard.
A history of ancient rome, explores the early history of rome by using a flashback technique. Mary beard cautions against beginning too earlyor too late. Mary beards typically accessible text belies monumental research, breathing new life into wellworn myths and challenging accepted orthodoxy on a range of topics. Having spent 50 years of her life studying the ancient romans, its hard to avoid the feeling that cambridge universitys mary beard doesnt like them very much. Mary beard is the author of multiple books, including the nbcc finalist confronting the classics, and most recently, the bestselling spqr. The cult of mary beard podcast how a lateblossoming classics don became britains most beloved intellectual. Browse mary beards bestselling audiobooks and newest titles. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. Perhaps britains bestknown scholar of antiquity, mary beard is a university of cambridge classicist, a fellow of newnham college, and a. While may 2016, brought about a fourpart series shown on bbc two, titled mary beard s ultimate rome. This monolithic history of ancient rome spans 1,000 years and practically every facet of republic and empire.
A history of ancient rome anything less than superb would be doing it a severe injustice. Her blog has been collected in the books its a dons life and all in a dons day. She recalled him as a raffish publicschoolboy type and a complete wastrel, but very engaging. Mary beard and her battle cry against internet trolling. Apr 17, 2016 mary beard, silverhaired and redshod, was seated in front of a packed house at lincoln center one recent thursday morning, addressing an annual conference called the women in the world summit. A history of ancient rome by mary beard audiobooks on. In spqr, her wonderful concise history, mary beard unpacks the secrets of the citys success with a crisp and merciless clarity that i have not seen equaled anywhere else. I have watched several tv programs by mary beard but it was wonderful to listen to the whole story. Mary beard takes on her sexist detractors the new yorker. In spqr, an instant classic, mary beard narrates the history of rome with passion and without technical jargon and demonstrates how a slightly shabby iron age village rose to become the undisputed hegemon of the mediterranean wall street journal. This is the question that drove cambridge university classicist mary beard to write a new history of rome and to make the case that this ancient history still matters today.
Professor beard certainly doesnt heroworship them as british school teachers used to do, but rather seems. Its myths and stories from romulus and remus to the rape of lucretia still strike a chord with us. Reading the ruins of rome by mary beard the new york. Nov 10, 2015 the cambridge professor mary beard launched s. This is roman history roughly from its mythological dawning about 753 bc to the time when free adult males within the ro. Mary beard, silverhaired and redshod, was seated in front of a packed house at lincoln center one recent thursday morning, addressing an annual conference called the women in. Liveright publishing corporation, 2015, you wont hold it against her. A history of ancient rome by mary beard is a singlevolume history of ancient rome. A history of ancient rome by ant hive media available from rakuten kobo. The ancient romans, beard shows, are relevant to people many centuries later who struggle with questions of power, citizenship, empire, and identity. Her mother, joyce emily beard, was a headmistress and an enthusiastic reader. Mary beard, an only child, was born on 1 january 1955 in much wenlock, shropshire.
Mary beards most popular book is the death of ivan ilych. Her father, roy whitbread beard, worked as an architect in shrewsbury. Mary beards spqr takes a new approach to the history of. Beards accounts are comprehensive and refreshingly honest about the relationship between available sources and our understanding of historical events.
The rise and fall of the house of caesar, by tom holland doubleday, 512 pp. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read spqr. Nov 18, 2015 mary beard is well known in england, so much so that when the magazine the oldie that countrys vastly more sophisticated version of our aarp magazine named her its 20 pinup of the. Phyllida nash does a remarkable job of reading the book, she is always excellent in any book she reads. See all books authored by mary beard, including spqr. Spqra history of ancient rome by mary beard categories. Jan 15, 2016 to tell romes story in a way that is timely and comprehensible, one would need a guide like classicist mary beardwise and incredibly daring.
It was a finalist for the 2015 national book critics circle award nonfiction. By the time that caligula was a young man, tiberius had already caused. You could never write a history of rome when youre 25, says beard. A lot of historians approach history through an examination of war and peace, victories and failures, the political machinations of great and notsogreat leaders. Mary beards sweeping history is a new read of citizenship in the ancient empire. What made the experience of listening to spqr the most enjoyable. Spqr appeared on the hardcover, nonfiction bestseller list in december 2015. Thinking of writing a popular history of ancient rome. What was one of the most memorable moments of spqr. Her previous books include the bestselling, wolfson prizewinning pompeii, the roman triumph, the parthenon and confronting the classics.
A history of ancient rome main by beard, professor mary isbn. Mary beard has 51 books on goodreads with 210826 ratings. Vimeo gives control freaks the power to tweak every aspect of their embedded videos. If you are a devotee of roman history this is the audio book for you. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A history of ancient rome audible audiobook unabridged mary beard. Its myths and stories from romulus and remus to the rape of lucretia.
Pompeii the life of a roman town audible audiobook unabridged. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. Beard s standalone documentary julius caesar revealed was shown on bbc one in february 2018. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Some of her seminal works include rome in the late republic, the parthenon, and the fires of vesuvius, a marvelous excavation the nation of life in pompeii before its volcanic destruction. The reader is grounded in the period of roman history that they are most likely to knowthe time of julius caesarso they can wander through romes earlier, less known period with greater ease. Jun 02, 2016 spqr is the abbreviation used by the ancient romans for the senate and people of rome. A history of ancient rome by mary beard im fortunate to live now. Hailed by critics as animating the grand sweep and the intimate details that bring the distant past vividly to life. Come discover why shes considered one of the worlds foremost classicists and why you. A history of ancient rome, by mary beard liveright, 608 pp. First off, as of this writing, mary beard is neither dead nor male. Mary beard is well known in england, so much so that when the magazine the oldie that countrys vastly more sophisticated version of our aarp magazine. Mary beard is a professor of classics at newnham college, cambridge, and the classics editor of the tls.