Hollywood lied to you about Ancient Rome. Here’s the truth | Mary Beard: Full Interview
Hollywood Lied to You About Ancient Rome: Here’s the Truth | Mary Beard: Full Interview – Synopsis
In a captivating interview, renowned classicist Mary Beard dismantles common misconceptions about Ancient Rome, revealing a society far more complex than portrayed in Hollywood films. She argues that popular depictions—marked by grand architecture and predominantly white figures—oversimplify the multicultural dynamics that thrived in Rome. Beard emphasizes how Roman society was shaped by social hierarchies, family obligations, and the everyday realities of its citizens, often overlooked in favor of sensational narratives.
Delving into specific cultural practices, Beard highlights how the gladiatorial games were more controlled than the wild, bloodlust-driven spectacles depicted in movies. She contrasts these with the Circus Maximus, where chariot races stirred genuine chaos among the mixed crowd. Through archaeological discoveries, Beard illustrates the vital role of slaves in Roman life, revealing how dependency on servitude permeated even mundane activities like dressing and hairstyling.
The interview further explores the grandeur of Roman triumphs and the pivotal figures like Augustus and Virgil, who shaped the empire’s narrative. Throughout, Beard urges audiences to rethink their understanding of this ancient civilization, prompting a deeper, nuanced appreciation that reflects both its achievements and moral complexities.
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Author Video Description
“Everyone’s image of [Ancient Rome] is based on modern movies. In some ways, I think those were rather impressive, but they got some things terribly wrong.”
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Up next, Would you survive a week in Ancient Rome? | Mary Beard: Full Interview ► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxtxmG_H-To
We’ve inherited the history of Ancient Rome through movies, ruins, and shallow stories. The truth is far messier, says classicist Mary Beard. The hidden side of Roman life that screens rarely capture is chaotic; crowded streets teeming with Romans whose everyday lives were shaped by social hierarchies and familial obligations.
Mary Beard unpacks what archaeology, literature, and even shoes tell us about the Romans’ daily lives. From the role of slaves in dressing elites to the rowdy crowds at chariot races, she shows how we’ve underestimated their complexity.
0:00 You’re picturing Ancient Rome all wrong
1:22 Mary Beard: scholar of Ancient Rome
20:41 The Roman triumph: the greatest celebration of all time
40:27 The Romans who shaped the world
41:25 Augustus
45:46 Virgil
47:22 Julius Ceasar
48:42 Cincinnatus
50:53 The Gracchii brothers
53:27 Marcus Tullius Cicero
55:19 Emperor Nero
57:45 Tacitus
1:06:01 Understanding “The Odyssey”
Read the video transcript ► https://bigthink.com/series/full-interview/myth-truth-ancient-rome/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
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About Mary Beard:
Winifred Mary Beard, OBE, FBA, FSA is an English Classical scholar. She is Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge, a fellow of Newnham College, and Royal Academy of Arts professor of ancient literature. She is also the classics editor of The Times Literary Supplement, and author of the blog, “A Don’s Life,” which appears in The Times as a regular column. Her frequent media appearances and sometimes controversial public statements have led to her being described as “Britain’s best-known classicist.”
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Video “Hollywood lied to you about Ancient Rome. Here’s the truth | Mary Beard: Full Interview” was uploaded on 10/31/2025 to Youtube Channel Big Think