Shows / Instant Classics
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. Discover The Odyssey and join the book club at: https://www.exploringtheodyssey.com
Episodes
Instant ClassicsClassic Chats: Robert Harris on ‘Agrippa’
Mary and Charlotte talk to best-selling author Robert Harris about his new novel ‘Agrippa’. Robert Harris has published 16 novels, of which nine have been made…
Instant ClassicsMarcus Agrippa: Power behind the throne
Of all the Roman Emperors, Augustus has the reputation of being the most… well… august. That is to say, competent, level-headed and judicious. Not to mention…
Instant ClassicsBONUS Emily Wilson on translating the Odyssey
A few months back we spoke to Emily Wilson on our subscriber series Exploring the Odyssey. Emily has been in the news recently, partly because her acclaimed…
Instant ClassicsClassic Chats: Charlotte Higgins on Ukrainian Lessons
Mary talks to Charlotte about her book Ukrainian Lessons: Art in a Time of War. For the last four years, Charlotte has returned repeatedly to Ukraine to report…
Instant ClassicsBONUS: Which Translation of the Odyssey should I read?
With the world gripped by Odyssey fever, Mary and Charlotte keep being asked the same question: which translation should I read? So here is a quick bonus…
Instant ClassicsClassical Beach Reads
Summer is here (in the northern hemisphere at least) and with many listeners eyeing trips to the beach, Mary and Charlotte are here with some cracking beach…
Instant ClassicsClassic Chats: Count Binface (Bonus episode)
In this Clacton byelection special, Count Binface takes a break from the campaign trail and zooms in from his spaceship to chat with Mary and Charlotte about…
Instant ClassicsClassic Chats: Tom Hiddleston on Pompeii
Last week, actor Tom Hiddleston launched his new series - not the further adventures of Loki (at least, not yet), but Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston…
Instant ClassicsChristopher Nolan's Odyssey 3: The Pedants Revolt
Last week, Mary and Charlotte gave their instant verdict on Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey only hours after emerging from the premiere, dazzled somewhat by the…
Instant ClassicsChristopher Nolan's Odyssey 2: Instant Verdict
Mary and Charlotte emerge from the premiere of The Odyssey, pausing only for a night’s rest, before regathering in the morning with strong coffees to give…
Instant ClassicsChristopher Nolan's Odyssey 1: What you need to know before you go
Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey - the most eagerly anticipated event since Odysseus spied the shores of Ithaca - is almost with us at last. Mary…
Instant ClassicsUSA 250: “I’m Spartacus!”
Mary and Charlotte welcome Professor Maria Wyke back on the show to talk about two of the most famous words in cinema: “I’m Spartacus!” Hollywood has always…
Instant ClassicsUSA 250: Building a new Rome
Shortly after its formation, the United States of America initiated a building program for both state and federal governments, turning to Ancient Greece and…
Instant ClassicsUSA 250: President Jackson and the Emperor’s Tomb
Last year, Mary spent nine months in Washington D.C. During this time, she became interested in visual iconography and real objects of Ancient Greece and Rome…
Instant ClassicsUSA 250: America’s Roman Revolution
In case you haven’t noticed… the USA is celebrating a special anniversary. Mary and Charlotte talk to one of America’s leading scholars of ancient Rome and its…
Instant ClassicsWhat did the Romans dream about?
Nearly 2000 years before Sigmund Freud published The Interpretation of Dreams, a sage in Ephesus (now in Turkey) wrote a book whose title translates as… The…
Instant ClassicsCleopatra 5: Cleopatra on Screen
Mary and Charlotte talk to Professor Maria Wyke, classicist and film historian, about Cleopatra’s rebirth on the screen. By far the most famous Cleopatra film…
Instant ClassicsCleopatra 4: Cleopatra on the Page
Mary and Charlotte talk to Lucy Hughes-Hallett, acclaimed biographer and author of ‘Cleopatra: Histories, Dreams and Distortions’, about Cleopatra’s afterlife…
Instant ClassicsBONUS Mary & Charlotte on the latest trailer for Christopher Nolan's Odyssey
Another trailer for Christopher Nolan’s forthcoming adaptation of The Odyssey has just been released, giving more insights into the world the cast and crew…
Instant ClassicsCleopatra 3: Life After Death
For many years, Cleopatra and Mark Antony lived a life of extravagance and passion - or so we’re told. In this episode, Mary and Charlotte look at what…
Instant ClassicsCleopatra 2: Cleopatra Meets the Romans
If it hadn’t been for Rome, Cleopatra’s sole claim to fame may have been that she married two of her brothers. But then Julius Caesar arrived in Alexandria… In…
Instant ClassicsCleopatra 1: Last Egyptian Pharaoh
In the first episode of a five-part series, Mary and Charlotte tell the story of Queen Cleopatra’s early years. Forget, for the time being, Elizabeth Taylor…
Instant ClassicsClassic Chats: Grayson Perry on why he hates classical civilisation
Mary and Charlotte talk to artist Grayson Perry about why he hates classical civilisation. Grayson is one of Britain’s most famous artists - he won the Turner…
Instant ClassicsTalking Classics with Mary Beard
In this episode, Mary and Charlotte’s special guest is… Mary Beard! On the day of publication of her new book, Talking Classics, Mary does just that - talks…
Instant ClassicsPerpetua: A Martyr in Her Own Words
Mary and Charlotte explore the story of Perpetua, a young Christian woman tortured and murdered in the Roman arena in Carthage (modern day Tunisia) for her…
Instant ClassicsAntigone: Girl vs Tyrant
Antigone is one of the most regularly staged Greek tragedies with great actors lining up to play the part. Juliette Binoche, Juliet Stevenson and Gillian…
Instant ClassicsRoman Graffiti: The Writing on the Wall
Expressions of love, bawdy jokes, political satire or even just saying so-and-so was here - few things bring us as close to the Romans as their graffiti. In…
Instant ClassicsThe Great Plague of Athens
In 430 BCE, Athens was hit by a terrible plague that ultimately claimed around a third of the population. All the social niceties we associate with Ancient…
Instant ClassicsWhat Did the Romans Eat? Part 2: Plebs’ Food
Think Roman food and we imagine extravagant banquets involving rare delicacies. There’s some truth in this, but only for the few. In this episode, Mary and…
Instant ClassicsWhat Did the Romans Eat? Part 1: Posh Food
When we think about Roman food, most of us imagine wealthy citizens stuffing their faces with rare delicacies while reclining on their sides and taking…
Instant ClassicsClassic Chats: Tom Holland
Mary and Charlotte talk to Tom Holland, co-host of the Rest is History. As well as being a podcasting megastar, Tom is a brilliant historian of Ancient Rome…
Instant ClassicsWho's Afraid of Lupercalia?
If you were to go back in time to 15 February in Ancient Rome, you might see marauding packs of naked men surging through the streets. If you were particularly…
Instant ClassicsVillain, Victim... Double Agent? The Many Lives of Helen of Troy pt 4
Greece gave way to Rome and the Roman Empire too declined, but Helen of Troy survived. Forever young and relevant, she has been reimagined by generation after…
Instant ClassicsVillain, Victim... Double Agent? The Many Lives of Helen of Troy pt 3
What happened to Helen after the Trojan War? Mary and Charlotte pick up the trail of mythology’s most famous femme fatale as she makes the long journey home…
Instant ClassicsBONUS Mary & Charlotte on the trailer for Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey
Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey is set to be the blockbuster event of the summer. With the first trailers now coming online, Mary and Charlotte…
Instant ClassicsVillain, Victim... Double Agent? The Many Lives of Helen of Troy pt2
When Paris, a Trojan prince, abducted Helen of Sparta, the Greeks came in hot pursuit and besieged Troy for ten years. But what was Helen’s role in all this?…
Instant ClassicsVillain, Victim... Double Agent? The Many Lives of Helen of Troy pt 1
Sex goddess. Whore. Temptress. Adulteress. Victim. Helen of Troy has been called many things. In the run-up to Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey…
Instant ClassicsTinker Tailor Soldier Spartan: Spies and Spycraft in Ancient Greece
We may think of Ancient Greek warfare as scantily dressed musclemen thrashing it out on the desert plain (and there may have been an element of that), but…
Instant ClassicsUnderneath the Toga pt 2 (With Naomi Alderman)
Naomi Alderman is an author and games designer. Her books include Disobedience (adapted into a film starring Rachel Weisz), The Power (also an Amazon Prime…
Instant ClassicsInstant Answers: New Year’s Day Q&A
Since Instant Classics launched, we’ve loved getting your questions and ideas for topics. So for our New Year’s Day episode, Mary and Charlotte respond to some…
Instant ClassicsA Very Merry Saturnalia to You
Every December, the Ancient Romans took part in a festival of feasting, drinking, gift-giving and awkward office parties. So far, so Christmas. But, in this…
Instant ClassicsA Day at the Theatre in Ancient Athens
The Ancient Greeks, it’s often said, invented theatre - and the plays they wrote are still big box office today, particularly when you have a Hollywood star in…
Instant ClassicsA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (or did it?)
From Asterix to Up Pompeii to Life of Brian, there are lots of modern comedies about the Romans, but what did the Romans themselves find funny? In this…
Instant ClassicsLife, Death and Gladiators in Roman London
Recorded live in an actual Roman amphitheatre underneath the Guildhall Art Gallery in London, Mary and Charlotte uncover the (Roman) origins of one of the…
Instant ClassicsAthena: Private Life of a Greek Goddess
Athena: goddess, shape-shifter, helper of heroes, fashion guru, patron deity of Athens and a bit of a daddy’s girl. She’s also one of the most elusive and…
Instant ClassicsBoudica: The Woman Who Defied an Empire Pt2
In the second of this two-part special, Mary and Charlotte rejoin Boudica as she marches on London, continues her path of destruction, and finally meets the…
Instant ClassicsBoudica: The Woman Who Defied an Empire pt 1
Boudica. Britain’s original badass. A warrior queen who almost defeated the Romans, gave voice to the oppressed and inspired countless school children ever…
Instant ClassicsA Trip To The Underworld
Any Greek hero worth their salt makes a trip to the Underworld at some point during their adventures. Mary and Charlotte follow in their footsteps, crossing…
Instant ClassicsRoman Ghostbusters
As the Halloween season hits, Mary and Charlotte turn to the wealth of ghost stories from the ancient world to ask: did the Greeks and Romans really believe in…
Instant ClassicsSpecial Announcement! - Instant Classics Live
Exciting News! Vespucci, in collaboration with the City of London Corporation and the Culture Mile Business Improvement District, is thrilled to present the…
Instant ClassicsDid Nero Really Fiddle While Rome Burned?
‘Fiddling while Rome burns’ is an accusation flung at every political leader at some point in their career. In this episode, Mary and Charlotte uncover the…
Instant ClassicsUnderneath The Toga
Can it really have taken seven episodes of Instant Classics to get to everyone’s favourite Roman meme: the toga party? Mary and Charlotte grasp the thistle -…
Instant ClassicsCassandra: Prophet Of The Modern World?
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…
Instant ClassicsHow did Rome begin?
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?…
Instant ClassicsDecoding The Parthenon
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…
Instant ClassicsFree Speech - An Ancient History
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…
Instant ClassicsThe Odyssey#2: "Tell Me About A Complicated Man, Muse"
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…
Instant ClassicsWhat Sappho Still Teaches Us About Love
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…
Instant ClassicsA Day At The Races In Ancient Rome
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…
Instant ClassicsThe Odyssey#1: Journey Begins
In this first episode of the Instant Classics Book Club, Mary and Charlotte explain why The Odyssey is such a pleasure, as well as historically significant…