Mary Beard

English classicist · United Kingdom · Academics · Born 1955 · age 71

Mary Beard is read about 640 times a day, in 32 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 27 September 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 372 days, one point a day.

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Dame Winifred Mary Beard is an English classicist specialising in Ancient Rome. She is a trustee of the British Museum and formerly held a personal professorship of classics at the University of Cambridge. She is a fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge, and Royal Academy of Arts Professor of Ancient Literature.

A life in dates

2025“I went to Cambridge as an undergraduate in the early 1970s and it was [a] white, posh, male enclave.”In their wordsOctober 2025Remarks at Cheltenham Literature Festival, October 2025Read the whole statement

2020“Greek men didn't all look like this. And indeed, this guy, his musculature is actually physically impossible.”In their wordsShock of the Nude (2020), Episode 1Read the whole statement

2019Fellow of the Royal Society of LiteratureAward2017“When I went to my first interview for an academic position, oddly enough in Thatcher's heyday. I bought myself a pair of blue stockings especially for the occasion.”In their wordsp. 81Read the whole statement

“It’s not easy to make women fit into a structure that is initially encoded as masculine: what needs to be done is to change the structure.”In their wordsp. 86Read the whole statement

“Rome of antiquity is important.”In their wordsp. 15Read the whole statement

“The territorial boundaries of the Roman Empire have been established by the political geography of today's Europe and other regions.”In their wordsp. 15Read the whole statement

Honorary DoctorateAwardMedlicott MedalAward2016Bodley MedalAwardPrincess of Asturias AwardsAward2009Wolfson History PrizeAward1955Born1 January 1955

Also in Deutsch

Photos 2

Beard filming in Rome, 2012

In their own words 10

Mary Beard

10 statements, newest first

I went to Cambridge as an undergraduate in the early 1970s and it was [a] white, posh, male enclave.
Oct 2025, Remarks at Cheltenham Literature Festival, October 2025, Own words
Greek men didn't all look like this. And indeed, this guy, his musculature is actually physically impossible.
2020, Shock of the Nude (2020), Episode 1, Own words
She's one of a series of wax models that were used in anatomy classes to demonstrate the internal structure of the body...
2020, Shock of the Nude (2020), Episode 2, Own words

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Awards

Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature2019

Medlicott Medal2017

Honorary Doctorate2017

Bodley Medal2016

Princess of Asturias Awards2016

Wolfson History Prize2009

Officer of the Order of the British Empire

Fellow of the British Academy

Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries

Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Honorary Doctor of the Open University of Catalonia

Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire

In their orbit

Spouse: Robin Cormack

About this person

Country

United Kingdom

In common with Mary

Isabel HergueraAlso in Sultana's Dream (2023)

Academics from the United Kingdom 5

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