{"title":"Professor Mary Beard","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProfessor Mary Beard\u003c\/strong\u003e offers a compelling journey through the worlds of ancient history, culture, and politics. Her works explore the rich complexities of classical civilisations, from the grandeur of Rome to the enduring legacy of Greece, blending meticulous scholarship with accessible storytelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect insightful reflections on power, democracy, and society, illuminated through vivid portraits of iconic monuments and timeless figures. Her writing engages deeply with the past while resonating with contemporary debates on culture and identity.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"emperor-of-rome","title":"Emperor of Rome","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Sunday Times\u003c\/em\u003e Top Ten \u0026amp; \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e Bestseller\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBlackwell's Non-Fiction Book of the Year\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eShortlisted for the Waterstones Book of the Year 2023\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eExtraordinary ... a deliciously varied tapestry of detail drawn from across nearly three centuries\u003c\/em\u003e – \u003cem\u003eTelegraph\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat was it really like to rule and be ruled in the Ancient Roman world?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn her international best-seller \u003cem\u003eSPQR\u003c\/em\u003e, Mary Beard told the thousand-year story of ancient Rome. Now, she shines her spotlight on the emperors who ruled the Roman empire, from Julius Caesar (assassinated 44 BCE) to Alexander Severus (assassinated 235 CE).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEmperor of Rome\u003c\/em\u003e is not your usual chronological account of Roman rulers, one after another: the mad Caligula, the monster Nero, the philosopher Marcus Aurelius. Beard asks bigger questions: What power did emperors actually have? Was the Roman palace really so bloodstained?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eEmperor of Rome\u003c\/em\u003e goes directly to the heart of Roman (and our own) fantasies about what it was to be Roman, offering an account of Roman history as it has never been presented before.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45706251763948,"sku":"9781846683794","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781846683794_34eab6ac-383c-4228-9e7c-a04a6c4e66b3.jpg?v=1732049457"},{"product_id":"pompeii","title":"Pompeii","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003ci\u003ePompeii\u003c\/i\u003e by Professor Mary Beard offers a fascinating exploration into the life and catastrophic death of an ancient Roman town. Drawing on a wealth of archaeological evidence and classical sources, Beard breathes new life into the ruins, revealing the day-to-day experiences of its residents, the vibrancy of its streets, and the mechanisms of its sudden obliteration.\n\nIn this groundbreaking work, Beard dismantles several enduring myths about Pompeii. She scrutinises the assumed date of Mount Vesuvius's eruption, suggesting it occurred later than commonly believed. She questions the hygiene standards of the famed public baths, proposing they were likely breeding grounds for germs. She also refutes the exaggerations about the number of brothels, positing there was probably only one, and revises the death toll estimate, which is likely under ten per cent of the population.\n\nThrough carefully structured chapters such as \"Street Life,\" \"Earning a Living: Baker, Banker, and Garum Maker,\" and \"The Pleasure of the Body: Food, Wine, Sex, and Baths,\" Beard provides an unparalleled window into the workings of a Roman town. From the community-driven atmosphere of the Suburban Baths to the various vendors along the bustling Via dell' Abbondanza, each chapter delves into distinct facets of daily life in Pompeii.\n\nOne illuminating section explores the Suburban Baths, transitioning from communal bathing practices to hygiene concerns and even the presence of erotica. Another examines a fast-food joint, offering insights into the dietary habits, street food culture, and social dynamics of the Pompeians. These insights collectively form an extraordinary and engaging portrait of an ancient town, its vibrant life, and ongoing rediscovery.\n\nAs Britain’s leading classicist, Professor Mary Beard utilises her deep knowledge of Roman culture to challenge our preconceptions and invite readers on a compelling journey through time. With her articulate and vivid storytelling, Beard ensures that while the city of Pompeii may have been buried for centuries, its stories remain alive and richly detailed for modern audiences.\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House Distribution","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45706745217260,"sku":"9781846684715","price":26.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781846684715.jpg?v=1725891270"},{"product_id":"spqr","title":"SPQR","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\nAncient Rome continues to captivate modern readers, and its history is crucial for understanding the foundations of Western civilisation. In \u003cem\u003eSPQR\u003c\/em\u003e by Professor Mary Beard, one of the world's foremost classicists delves deep into the history of Rome, offering a comprehensive and captivating exploration of this extraordinary empire. \n\nThis authoritative work traces the evolution of Rome from its humble beginnings as a small village in central Italy to its emergence as a dominant empire stretching from Spain to Syria. Through meticulous research and engaging narrative, Beard examines how the Romans themselves perceived their accomplishments and legacy, providing insight into their worldviews and values that still resonate today.\n\n\u003cem\u003eSPQR\u003c\/em\u003e covers a span of 1,000 years, presenting a fresh perspective on Roman culture. This book illuminates essential aspects of ancient life, including the complex institution of slavery, the development and impact of running water infrastructure, and discussions surrounding democracy, migration, religious disputes, social mobility, and exploitation. These topics are placed within the broader context of the Roman Empire, shedding light on the intricate social and political frameworks that drove its expansion and sustained its power.\n\nMoreover, Beard skillfully connects the past with the present, illustrating how many of the debates and issues faced by the Romans—such as citizenship, security, and civil rights—continue to influence contemporary discourse on liberty and governance. The myths and legendary figures from Rome's storied past, from Romulus and Remus to the tragic tale of Lucretia, still evoke a profound response and offer timeless lessons.\n\nThe title \u003cem\u003eSPQR\u003c\/em\u003e stands for \"Senatus Populusque Romanus,\" or \"the Senate and People of Rome,\" a term that embodies the collective identity and governance of the Roman state. Beard's work brings to life the essence of this motto, exploring how it shaped the empire's operations and cultural imprint.\n\nBy combining rigorous historical analysis with vivid storytelling, \u003cem\u003eSPQR\u003c\/em\u003e is more than just a history book; it is a reflection on the enduring legacy of Rome and its relevance in our modern age. This definitive history is essential reading for anyone intrigued by ancient Rome and its lasting impact on the world.\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45760039780588,"sku":"9781846683817","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781846683817.jpg?v=1726986449"},{"product_id":"emperor-of-rome-by-professor-mary-beard-9781846683787","title":"Emperor of Rome","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCruel control freaks, diligent workaholics or extravagant teenagers? What were the emperors of Rome really like?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn her international best-seller \u003ci\u003eSPQR\u003c\/i\u003e, Mary Beard told the thousand-year story of ancient Rome. Now, she shines her spotlight on the emperors who ruled the Roman empire, from Julius Caesar (assassinated 44 BCE) to Alexander Severus (assassinated 235 CE).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eEmperor of Rome\u003c\/i\u003e is not your usual chronological account of Roman rulers, one after another: the mad Caligula, the monster Nero, the philosopher Marcus Aurelius. Beard asks bigger questions: What power did emperors actually have? Was the Roman palace really so bloodstained?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eEmperor of Rome\u003c\/i\u003e goes directly to the heart of Roman (and our own) fantasies about what it was to be Roman, offering an account of Roman history as it has never been presented before.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46272449020140,"sku":"9781846683787","price":68.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781846683787.jpg?v=1742284168"},{"product_id":"pompeii-by-professor-mary-beard-9781861975966","title":"Pompeii","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePompeii\u003c\/em\u003e explodes a number of myths – from the very date of the eruption, probably a few months later than usually thought; the hygiene of the baths, which must have been hotbeds of germs; and the legendary number of brothels, most likely only one, to the massive death count, which was probably less than ten per cent of the population.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eStreet Life, Earning a Living: Baker, Banker and Garum Maker (who ran the city), The Pleasure of the Body: Food, Wine, Sex and Baths, these chapter headings give a surprising insight into the workings of a Roman town.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt the Suburban Baths, we go from communal bathing to hygiene to erotica. A fast-food joint on the Via dell' Abbondanza introduces food and drink and diets and street life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThese are just a few of the strands that make up an extraordinary and involving portrait of an ancient town, its life and its continuing re-discovery, by Britain's leading classicist.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46521606766828,"sku":"9781861975966","price":26.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/26058163482850.jpg?v=1749017894"},{"product_id":"women-power-by-professor-mary-beard-9781788160612","title":"Women \u0026 Power","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBritain's best-known classicist, Mary Beard, is also a committed and vocal feminist. With wry wit, she revisits the gender agenda and shows how history has treated powerful women. Her examples range from the classical world to the modern day, from Medusa and Athena to Theresa May and Hillary Clinton. Beard explores the cultural underpinnings of misogyny, considering the public voice of women, our cultural assumptions about women's relationship with power, and how powerful women resist being packaged into a male template.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA year on since the advent of #metoo, Beard looks at how the discussions have moved on during this time, and how that intersects with issues of rape and consent, and the stories men tell themselves to support their actions. In trademark Beardian style, using examples ancient and modern, Beard argues, 'it's time for change - and now!'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the author of the international bestseller \u003ci\u003eSPQR: A History of Ancient Rome\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46523066974444,"sku":"9781788160612","price":22.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/18135163482824.jpg?v=1749048565"},{"product_id":"confronting-the-classics-by-professor-mary-beard-9781781250495","title":"Confronting the Classics","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMary Beard is one of the world's best-known classicists — a brilliant academic, with a rare gift for communicating with a wide audience both through her books and TV presenting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn a series of sparkling essays, she explores our rich classical heritage — from Greek drama to Roman jokes, introducing some larger-than-life characters of classical history, such as Alexander the Great, Nero, and Boudicca. She invites you into the places where Greeks and Romans lived and died, from the palace at Knossos to Cleopatra's Alexandria — and reveals the often hidden world of slaves. She brings back to life some of the greatest writers of antiquity — including Thucydides, Cicero, and Tacitus — and takes a fresh look at both scholarly controversies and popular interpretations of the ancient world, from \u003cem\u003eThe Golden Bough\u003c\/em\u003e to Asterix.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe fruit of over thirty years in the world of classical scholarship, \u003cem\u003eConfronting the Classics\u003c\/em\u003e captures the world of antiquity and its modern significance with wit, verve, and scholarly expertise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46529922826476,"sku":"9781781250495","price":26.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/5205573482822.jpg?v=1749240303"},{"product_id":"the-colosseum-by-professor-mary-beard-9781846684708","title":"The Colosseum","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Colosseum\u003c\/em\u003e was Imperial Rome's monument to warfare. Like a cathedral of death, it towered over the city and invited its citizens, 50,000 at a time, to watch murderous gladiatorial games. It is now visited by two million visitors a year (Hitler was among them).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAward-winning classicist Mary Beard, together with Keith Hopkins, tells the story of Rome's greatest arena: how it was built; the gladiatorial and other games that were held there; the training of the gladiators; the audiences who revelled in the games; the emperors who staged them; and the critics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd the strange after story – the Colosseum has been a fort, store, church, and glue factory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46552709595372,"sku":"9781846684708","price":26.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/13574533482845.jpg?v=1750055182"},{"product_id":"the-parthenon-by-professor-mary-beard-9781846683497","title":"The Parthenon","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ruined silhouette of the Parthenon on its hill above Athens is one of the world's most famous images. Its 'looted' Elgin Marbles are a global cause celebre. But what actually are they?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn a revised and updated edition, Mary Beard, award-winning writer, reviewer, and leading Cambridge classicist, tells the history and explains the significance of the \u003cem\u003eParthenon\u003c\/em\u003e, the temple of the virgin goddess Athena, the divine patroness of ancient Athens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46555673362668,"sku":"9781846683497","price":30.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/13562423482845.jpg?v=1750108221"},{"product_id":"all-in-a-dons-day-by-professor-mary-beard-9781846685361","title":"All in a Don's Day","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer central themes are the classics, universities and teaching - and much else besides. In this second collection following on from the success of \u003cem\u003eIt's a Don's Life\u003c\/em\u003e, Beard ponders whether Gaddafi's home is Roman or not.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe share her 'terror of humiliation' as she enters 'hairdresser country' and follow her dilemma as she wanders through the quandary of illegible handwriting on examination papers and 'longing for the next dyslexic' - on whose paper the answers are typed, not handwritten.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46797638697196,"sku":"9781846685361","price":32.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/13581063482845.jpg?v=1757161716"},{"product_id":"its-a-dons-life-by-professor-mary-beard-9781846682513","title":"It's a Don's Life","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMary Beard's by now famous blog \u003cem\u003eIt's a Don's Life\u003c\/em\u003e has been running on the Times Literary Supplement website for nearly three years. In it, she has made her name as a wickedly subversive commentator on the world in which we live.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHer central themes are the classics, universities, and teaching - and much else besides. What are academics for? Who was the first African Roman emperor? Looting, ancient and modern. Are modern exams easier? Keep Lesbos for the Lesbians. Did St Valentine exist? What made the Romans laugh?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThat is just a small taste of this selection (and some of the choicer responses) which will inform, occasionally provoke, and cannot fail to entertain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46844171550956,"sku":"9781846682513","price":32.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781846682513.jpg?v=1758832704"},{"product_id":"talking-classics-by-professor-mary-beard-9781805220312","title":"Talking Classics","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eEmperor of Rome\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eSPQR\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"The rock star scholar of Ancient Rome\" – Financial Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"The reigning Queen of Classics\" – Spectator\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat's exciting about a piece of bread 4,000 years old? Or some pots of paint abandoned in the eruption at Pompeii? Why should we be bothered with the distant past anyway? What's the point?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe life, art, and literature of ancient Greece and Rome have something to offer everyone. They are not the property of wealthy white men only. They make us wonder how to make sense of people who lived long ago (from angry landlords to giggling senators) and to think harder about our own world, to look at it differently.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eTalking Classics\u003c\/em\u003e, Mary Beard points to the surprising connections between antiquity and the present. From revolutionaries to dictators, Bob Dylan to Beyoncé, she joins forces with the varied modern characters who have been transfixed by the ancient world. It's not compulsory, she argues, to be excited by antiquity, but it's a shame not to be.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAfter half a century teaching and studying classics, she fills the book with lively stories, curious facts and some good gossip. \u003cem\u003eTalking Classics\u003c\/em\u003e explains why the deep past does really affect us all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47321781895404,"sku":"9781805220312","price":31.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/172090cabbe93e83008b4fe36c4fc88d.jpg?v=1771535909"},{"product_id":"democracy-by-professor-mary-beard-9781805223719","title":"Democracy","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is an exceptional moment for democracy. In the year of elections, read Margaret Atwood, Mary Beard, Lea Ypi, Elif Shafak and more on what \u003cem\u003edemocracy\u003c\/em\u003e means - and why it matters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2024, nearly half the world will take part in a national election, with billions heading to the polls. It's a thrilling, unprecedented opportunity for change - yet democracy is also under threat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWomen are at the forefront of the fight for democratic rights, as well as being the most vulnerable when those rights disappear. Here, eleven extraordinary women - leaders, philosophers, historians, writers and activists - explore democracy's power to uplift our societies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBetween its ancient origins and its modern challenges, they share a vision for a better future - one we can build together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47383769972972,"sku":"9781805223719","price":22.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/20251493482830.jpg?v=1773379205"},{"product_id":"civilisations-how-do-we-look-the-eye-of-faith-by-professor-mary-beard-9781781259993","title":"Civilisations: How Do We Look \/ The Eye of Faith","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFocusing on the arrival of the human figure as a subject of art, Mary Beard examines the history of beauty in civilisation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBeginning with the Jericho painted skulls from 10,000 years ago, and the extraordinary figures of Ain Ghazal, it examines in depth the creativity that gave identity to ancient Egypt, where colossi of powerful rulers were also matched by the depictions of citizens and the wider population.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom there, we explore the unprecedented art of the Greek revolution, where beauty and the perfection of the human figure set a benchmark for all Western art to come, and profoundly influenced the flowering of human sculpture in Rome.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, it moves to China to examine the vast army of Terracotta Warriors commissioned by the first emperor, and ends with the unexpected figure of Monk Wuxia, a mummified Buddhist monk created from the body of the monk himself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47485998858476,"sku":"9781781259993","price":39.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781781259993-civilisations-how-do-we-look-the-eye-of-faith.jpg?v=1775720778"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/professor-mary-beard.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}