Mary Beard is like the David Attenborough for Ancient Rome.

@jess53nz

10 ай бұрын

She's awesome!

@iainamurray

10 ай бұрын

Fancier shoes

@ceilingsintheireyes6288

10 ай бұрын

100%

@cascadianrangers728

9 ай бұрын

More like Mark Felton

@Yeoman7

9 ай бұрын

@@cascadianrangers728 Ancient Rome is NOT WW2.

I find it very poignant that Caligula would be horrified to know that that’s the name he is know by.

@thedarknessunderneathpodca6366

2 ай бұрын

lol justice

I absolutely love Professor Beard. She's the classicist Attenborough, a national treasure.

"the first blow didn't kill him, but the next 31 did" ...I mean, that would do it...

Any programme that includes Mary Beard is guaranteed to be a great watch. This one is no exception.

@beachboy13600

10 ай бұрын

or just her beard

@IanReynolds-ip7hb

9 ай бұрын

I think she's a old hag

@kevinhurley6919

9 ай бұрын

she knows what she is talking about but she has an arrogance about her and the pitch of her voice make it really hard to put up with

@TheJon2442

8 ай бұрын

​@@beachboy13600sadly not everyone can not be photo shopped models........ Answering for a friend!!!

@leobulero3485

6 ай бұрын

sounds biased, she has great knowledge and good watchable docs and (older) lectures. However, she projected a few times current morals toward the antique times and the romans, which is not objective.

Her look at the statues and busts was pretty insightful, the way that they had been hastily converted from Caligula to Claudius really illuminated the story of the sharp transition of power

Perfect example of how it’s not just the history but how you get the message that makes the difference. The way Mary Beard draws you in; the passion she has in conveying challenging and complex history; and how she brings the ancient to life here and now. She’s fantastic.

Mary Beard is absolutely spectacular. I can't get enough of her enthusiasm and insight. She brings the ordinary (or to us extraordinary) daily hustle and bustle of everyday Ancient Romans to life.

@lauraleetannehill672

7 ай бұрын

Yes, she is absolutely lovely❤

@kingKing-is6me

6 ай бұрын

your just saying that because she isa woman

@KingofCrusher

5 ай бұрын

bot

@donaldvicks

5 ай бұрын

@@kingKing-is6me I would like to view Mary's beard.

@modestlyneutral

5 ай бұрын

When I said I love the historian Dan Snow someone replied "that's because he's a man" - sheesh you can't win here can ya. damned if you do damned if you don't @@kingKing-is6me

When I was in the Navy, my ship docked in Naples for an extended period of time and I was fortunate enough to visit Capri. It was a bit inspiring walking the same paths as Tiberius and Caligula. We walked through vineyards in lower Capri and up steps carved in rock to get to upper Capri. It was exhausting, but fortunately a bus came along as we were trudging up a road and gave us a lift to the top. Stunning. Cheers....

i am here for Mary Beard’s commitment to the DRAMA

@ansfridaeyowulfsdottir8095

3 ай бұрын

I was just thinking, she's a bit OVER-dramatic. {:o:O:}

@perturbedxtirade7428

2 ай бұрын

​@ansfridaeyowulfsdottir8095 she really makes his story come alive though lol

@ansfridaeyowulfsdottir8095

2 ай бұрын

@@perturbedxtirade7428 Yes, a good documentary, but a little over-emphatic narration. {:o:O:}

Mary is the perfect narrator and host. I love her energy and enthusiasm she’s awesome!

Prof Beard is such an engaging and enthusiastic presenter! I've rewatched many of her projects and I never get bored with her style. As always this was an excellent video.

@blank4227

7 ай бұрын

middling at best. whatever she is paid, it is too much

@mikepastor.k6233

2 ай бұрын

Meh. Just not feelin' it 😢

I was actually horrified when I found out his father was Germanicus, who could've been Rome's greatest emperor

@louthegiantcookie

10 ай бұрын

Don't be so sure. There was a time when people thought old Galba would be the perfect Emperor, but when he became so, he proved himself cruel and incompetent. Power distorts people in ways we can't imagine.

@snappyego908

8 ай бұрын

I don't think he could be better than Trajan or Augustus.

@rolandrothwell4840

8 ай бұрын

Germanicus would have been so much better than Caligula! You are so right!

@jays9869

7 ай бұрын

Augustus was an impossible man to follow up, tbh. Only Trajan came close in terms of overall effect on the course of human history.

@vangraff3478

6 ай бұрын

And that's exactly the problem, since he was so busy with running the empire, he kinda neglected his son education.

It's pretty certain that Caligula was murdered in a tunnel now called the Neronian Cryptoporticus. It is on the Palatine Hill and the public can walk through it. I walked it last May (2023). It is one of the SUPER Sites and requires a special ticket, but it is well worth the small added cost.

What we know, or what we think we know, about Caligula was written by sensationalists and people who didn't like him very much. Bearing this in mind, I don't think Caligula was as bad as he has been made out to be. He was very popular with the people. The senators were jealous of him and feared their loss of power because of his popularity. Caligula wasn't very smart. He pissed off the captain of his imperial body guards by mocking him and making fun of him.

@julia.mcconnell

7 ай бұрын

I fully agree with you, Leslie! That is why I actually like Caligula

@patstokes7040

6 ай бұрын

Well if he was a great guy I don't think the Senate would have tried to get ride of all traces of him. It's not like there was love and affection for the guy. After all he was murdered, that in itself speaks of some reality of his popularity.

@DerDudelino

5 ай бұрын

Just wanted to say. Sounds like a really good emperor - someone with little appetite for war, treating the ordinary people well, gifting them money here and there. All emperors of Rome had lavish lifestyles, but at least he didn't get their sons killed in endless battles like so many before. The Senate likely didn't wanted his image to be a portrayal of Rome, because he didn't accomplish a lot - he just spent money all his life :O)

Caligula was a complicated character. He was capable of unthinkable depravity, but what we are told now was evidence of madness may well have been him taunting the establishment of the time, for example making his horse consul. He may never have seriously intended to do this, but it amused him to let other people think he would. The mysterious illness that he suffered when he announced that he was reborn as a god may have made him mentally unstable. The worst emperor? Nero was feckless and incompetent, but let's live a little here. Elagabalus was a disaster. An honourable mention must go to Commodus.

@KingofCrusher

6 ай бұрын

Was Nero the one who filled the Colosseum with water and had a full scale ship battle? That dude was awesome.

@ducatobeing

6 ай бұрын

@stephenseehorn7286 no, it hadn't been built until after he died.

@cailanmurray4430

2 ай бұрын

I agree Nero n elagayboy were worse Caligula caught mental illness badly

Philo of Alexandria is a VERY interesting subject. He lived from 25 BC to 50AD and though he was from Egypt (ie- Philo of Alexandria, with Alexandria being the chief port of Egypt), he spent much of his life in Judea. He was an ENORMOUSLY prolific author, writing things from personal musings and tomes of knowledge, through to many religious texts and the interpretation of the bible (need I specify 'The Torah?'). He even penned (quilled?) a number of chronicles for Rome, about the events in Judea and of the troubles in Herod's court. In short, Philo of Alexandria was the PERFECT witness to the events leading up to the birth of christ, the course of his life, his death and the aftermath of his death. Philo would have been a man, an adult at the time of Christ's birth and survived Christ by roughly 20 years. Since we know that he was in Judea at this time, then we should find his chronicles of the life and death of christ as the ultimate guide. Unfortunately, Philo never wrote a single word about Jesus. He never even mentioned having heard rumours of a 'Jewish sage, going through Judea, healing the sick and raising the dead.' He never wrote a single word about seeing this Jesus walk on water, or any other miracle. But he couldn't be everywhere, all at once, so even if he just wrote what others were saying, that should be enough. Except that he apparently never hears a single person ever talk about the miracles Jesus was supposed to have been performing. He never hears a single noteworthy rumour about Jesus, at all! Right through to the year 50 AD, he never hears a single thing about Jesus (or anyone else) that was supposedly performing miracles, or being resurrected after their death! Not a single word. Not even a single word about hearing rumours of such events!! These seem to be the perfect things for a chronicler to have written. To ensure that his chronicles were read thousands of years after his death, he should have written about the living God in his area. No, not Pharaoh, even though Pharaoh was a living God. Not Nero either, even though the Cult of the Emperor proclaimed every Roman Emperor to be a living God. No, I mean the one who not a single contemporary witness ever seems to hear about; Jesus! I just don't understand how it could be possible for Jesus to have existed (as described in the bible) and to performed the miracles and deeds ascribed to him, without any of these deeds, or Jesus himself to have ever found their way to the ears of a chronicler as prolific as Philo. Honestly, it's enough to make a person think that Jesus and his deeds are a work of fiction!

Time to reread I, Claudius..and then rewatch the TV-series!

May I say how much I simply adore Mary Beard. I can't watch enough of the shows she presents. Thank you, Mary Beard and HH.

I am from Katwijk aan Zee in the Netherlands and Caligula is said to have been here and made the tower of kalla. Evidence has been found from a wine pottery which had his seal on it. He ordered his men to collect sea shells as booty.

Mary beard! A brilliant woman!

Great use the Chapters/timestamps on this video -- nice to see a documentary taking advantage of optional features like that. Love Mary Beard's presentation and it's nice to have a quick way to revisit specific topics.

I’m grateful to have discovered this channel today. Absolutely wonderful!

Can you imagine if she was your advisor? School would be so great. She really brings Roman history alive. It’s amazing how much of it is still around.

Binge watched 'I' Claudius' again over the last week, Excellent, as before.

I've watched this a few times. Each time has proven rewarding.

A wonderful historical coverage (video)of the Caligula empire of Rome.... thank you for sharing

@HistoryHit

10 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

This was a great presentation honestly couldnt stop watching as she went on

Gosh, I remember looking down from those marvelous cliffs above the Capri villa. Quite a different sentiment now....

6:20 I can't believe how similar he looks to the evil kid emporer in game of thrones!

Thanks Mary, wonderful narrative.

Very interessting and well made!

Well, put it this way: He was bad enough that his own bodyguards killed him after only four years on the throne. Considering that his predecessor Tiberius was a greedy, paranoid, unscrupulous thug and yet still managed to reign for twenty three years says a lot in my mind to just how crazy and incompetent Little Boots really was. Yes, he was terrible - rivalled in all Roman history only by Nero, Commodus, and Elagabalus (Caracalla and Honorius also get dishonorable mentions).

@stevenleslie8557

10 ай бұрын

I think Tiberius lasted as long as he did was because he got out of Rome and retired to Capri. It was safer to govern from afar, plus he wasn't extravagant, debauched and irresponsible like Caligula. The empire was stable under his rule even if his rule was harsh and at times cruel.

@kev3d

10 ай бұрын

That's a pretty good point. I know there is a tendency to lean against the narrative of historical commentators after the fall of leaders. The argument being that the commentators worked for the opposition, so naturally they would be biased against Caligula or Nero or Richard III, or Louis XVI or whoever. Skepticism is good, but at the same time, where there is smoke there is almost always fire. Someone must have been angry enough to bump off the dude and have a large enough following to get away with it, that usually happens for a reason.

@edbrowne2251

10 ай бұрын

Hmmm, but maybe the real danger to the Roman state was the compent Imperator or Pinceps. That certainly was what Claudius and Heroiditus seem to have thought. The destruction of the Republic was more to be blamed on competant men who appealed to the masses through their ability to deliver than it was on bald tyrants who couldn't offer enough to gain support. This, of course, comes from the point of view of the wealthy mainly Senetorial sources we have. A hand to mouth labourer wasn't an idiot for liking being given bread and circuses. The bread meant he saw tommorow's sunrise, the circusses meant he forgot fpr a moment the bone breaking work he hoped he'd be signed up for. Also, I have a bit of a soft spot for Elagabulus. He seems like the kind of wierdo trust fund hippie who should never be given any responsibiltiy other to say something wierd enough to keep the energy up at a party that's flagging after midnight. Also, queer as fuck so full marks there. Back to boring mode, I think focusing on individuals is not as insightful as focusing of structures of power and the societal trends they produced, and seeing the individual rulers, especially the weak ones, as being more like flotsome rolling with, or being smashed against the rocks by, the far more powerful societal tides.

@bearhustler

10 ай бұрын

He's hardly unusual in being assassinated by his guards, throughout history and across cultures that isn't hugely uncommon and it doesn't always mean the leader in question is unusually terrible.

@elagabalusrex390

10 ай бұрын

@@bearhustler It's true that during the Anarchy of 235 to 284 CE all but one of the emperors who reigned at that time suffered violent deaths - a few other reasonably good emperors met with the same (Domitian and Alexander Severus come to mind); But Caligula, Nero, Commodus, and Elagabalus were different - they reigned at times when the empire was relatively prosperous, politically stable, and at peace at home and abroad. People are just more willing to put up with sh1tty leadership when they're well-fed and safe...and yet these four rulers were all killed by elements within their own government. The reason: they were all young (24, 19, 19, and 14 years of age at their accession respectively), spoiled from having been brought up at court, and woefully unprepared to wield absolute power over the strongest empire on earth.

Very good video! As always, very important to take histories with a dollop of salt though as testimonies and records are usually not totally accurate

As soon as I heard the intro, I recognized the great Mary Beard! Incredible narrator, astonishing historical knowledge!

The 1979 movie Caligula was amazing, and shocking, and had an A-list cast.

@AxelQC

8 ай бұрын

Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren, Peter O'Toole, and John Gielgud

@2msvalkyrie529

8 ай бұрын

Not as good as Carry On Cleo though .!

@ryanmichael1298

6 ай бұрын

Watched it at The University of Akron theater in the student center, 1990/1991 or so.

@georgew2014

6 ай бұрын

John Hurt in I Claudius, is my go-to image of Caligula.

@thebagelsproductions

6 ай бұрын

​@@2msvalkyrie529😂😂

Thank you that was very good, as well as imformative !!!! Professor Beard is cool 😊

I'm from near Rome and this incredibly well done video has made me want to visit a Museum. Many of us Italians take all this for granted.

Where there's smoke, Dr Beard, there's fire.

Love Mary Beard, she’s just so engaging

Brilliantly related by an awesome historian 👍👌👏

the greatest threat to elites is other elites

@JOHNBANNON-ib3cj

10 ай бұрын

Not so much now, BUT it might go that way!!!

@JAI_8

3 ай бұрын

To this exact point … 22:30 It’s ALWAYS the case there’s a new ruling elite waiting to take the place of the current one. Even today; especially today. It’s only a matter of how effective the current ruling elite does it’s job in either oppressing all possibility of a new elite coalescing, or effectively causing the current administrative class and professionals from misidentifying their interests as being identical to those of the current ruling elite, or a combination of the two strategies. The current US situation is the combination. But have no doubt there is an effective new ruling elite with a new ruling ideology waiting in the wings at all time!

Very good ..thx

I was fortunate enough to work at Cambridge University for 8 years and studied Roman architecture for my BSc. I wish I had taken the opportunity to chat with her.. I am a member of the senate House!

Professor Mary stylin those gold high-tops ❤❤

I’d listen to Mary read the yellow pages. So calming. History ASMR

Good stuff

Chaos and instability produce violence ......well that is a basic law which was and is true since all times. I love to watch and listen Mary Beard - awesome presentation bringing the roman times to life!

When I think back on my university days I think that I would have gotten on quite well with Caligula. We had similar interests and lifestyle preferences. It would have been a case of one outdoing the other. You would have had to be robust to keep up.

very interesting and well researched video. I do wonder, though, that you do not wear gloves when touching the relics and artifacts (especially coins etc).?

Mary Beard is a star.❤❤ You get the sense that self preservation was key in the empirial family- survival at all cost meant that you had to kiss goodby compassion, family sense and humanity. It makes perfect sense because those are concepts that we gained from christianity, who only became prevalelent in Rome with Konstantin in the 4. century.

@louisemunro9437

3 ай бұрын

Romans, and the Greeks before them, had dozens of schools of philosophy who all taught some version of compassion, respect, religious tolerance and community-mindedness. Christians were persecuted in Rome because they alone refused to allow religious freedom. The conversion of the Emperor to Christianity was the beginning of the fall. You can't keep a diverse empire united if you go about telling them their gods are fake and they must worship yours instead.

Multiple hats off to Mary Beard. Superb indeed, every step of the way.

mary brings the roman empire to life

Tive o prazer de ler duas obras da Mestre Mary Beard. 👏👏📚

It was Tiberius who said "Let them hate me so long as they fear me ", not Caligula.

The Roman museum MB refers to around 4 minutes into the video is in Xanten and not Zantan as in the transcript

I like Mary Beards programme's she's very knowledgeable , i have read her book about Pompeii

One if Caligula's favorite sayings was "Too much if a good thing is wonderfu...uh, no wait, that was Liberace. 😅

Looking at the considerable height of that cliff on Capri, I can’t imagine anyone still being alive at the bottom, to be finished off with the oars of Tiberius’ troops.

once again, i am thinking of Rome

Why would anyone object to the name “Caligula?” He had a friend named “Biggus Dickus.”

@OboeCanAm

9 ай бұрын

he has a wife, you know........

@gaius_enceladus

9 ай бұрын

@@OboeCanAm "You know what she's called? Incontinentia. Incontinentia Buttocks...... "

"You really think a crown give you power?" "No. I think armies give you power."

Mary Beard! Excellent Roman historian. Caligula, started with so much promise! Excellent pedigree,his father Germanicus was the best Emperor Rome never had. But Caligula was dealing with some childhood trauma thanx to an aging suspicious Tiberius. So we should remember this when judging him. Some what tragic figure.

12:23-12:36 made me scream laugh because of how she just sort of chuckles about what she just said

Im actually surprised how much I enjoyed this. I was expecting a full dive into how Caligula was a sick monster based on sources well after his death like always and ignoring the fact that there is actual archeological evidence of huge public infrastructure improvements during his time. Genuinely reckon he was the best emperor therefore had to be smeared the most by later senators and this balanced view gave me much to consider that challenges that notion in such a way that you would actually want from a documentary. Fair play Mary.

Well done ! I have to get to Rome one day

Excellent history lesson by someone who knows their stuff...

Mary's brilliant

Mary Beard serves such a delicious Roman course! The details and the eloquence of her narrative are truly inspirational , especially in the manner with which she brings the ancient times to life! 🏛🏛🏛

56:00 Meet the new boss, same as the old boss!

Nero has entered the chat.

@williamblack6912

10 ай бұрын

Nero was actually pretty good he just tried to make the rich people pay after rome burned down.

@icyhugs

10 ай бұрын

Umu!

@margaretwest1812

10 ай бұрын

😂❤

@camacdonnell1

10 ай бұрын

Caligula and Nero get all the smoke but dudes like Caracalla and Septimius Severus did way more damage to the empire. I'm sure it's just down to who was writing about them..?

Fabulous

I bet this is a great video! I would have no idea, because there’s an ad literally every two minutes and I cannot handle that BS.

It seems like she has to touch all the historical plaques-like a bad tourist

34:35 * insert Hair Conditioner Advert here *

I just wish that some of Claudius writings had survived.

Mary Beard what a historian

A gladiator once surrendered to 5 opponent's in the games and he was given the thumb by the people in fear he quickly picked up his trident and killed all 5 opponent's nobody knows the details of how exactly he was able to do this but it's said that when Caligula heard about it he was so disgusted that he ordered the death of the gladiator. A perfect example of getting out of the frying pan and into the Furnace.

Thank yoou.

You got it quite right. Describe Caligula how you will, what he was not was unusual.

Did the assassins really just get more of the same? Wasn't Claudius a preferable improvement for Rome?

41:57 "without the the military pedigree" - but he had one, the video talks how prominent military leader his father was.

Up there at least.

Bootkins? tehe... poor guy.. Loved this and loved the presenter!

Yes, 2013. This objectivity is not allowed today. A new aera of thought control by language has started, too early in the game to be noted by many. But 2016 will mark this significant blow over in history, or the latest 2020, for future historians, documenting the end of the West.

Great documentary. One thing though. She constantly says Cesar, but in those days it was pronounced as kaisar. So Julius Ceasar, was spoken as iulius kaisar.

I'd say Nero, Commodus, and Elagabus (?), were probably in the same category.

@louem2491

2 ай бұрын

Or the same song at least

I never realized until seeing Mary's fine video that the man himself would be actually dismayed that 2000 years later he is known as Caligula. (meaning to him "little boots") His proper name was apparently "Gaius." But from our modern American point of view, "Caligula" is MUUUCH better! It's a distinctive and powerful name to US, nor does it mean anything to us about little booties. Haha!😊

With only four years in power, he is in the running, but I rank Tiberius worse. Tiberius separated himself from Rome, and left someone in power to rule in his name, while he took part in all sorts of depravity. After Tiberius found out his proxy was undermining him, and had him executed, he still lasted longer and did even more horrible acts. He doubled down on it. Caligula started out not that bad, being the anti-Tiberius. But then he flipped. Was there any good that Tiberius did? I might go Tiberius worst, Caligula second, and not sure after that.

@Fhjull33

5 ай бұрын

Yes, sure. The key difference between the two is that Tiberius was competent. He stabilized the financial situation of the empire, quite successfully resolved emerging crises (for example, the financial crisis in the empire in 33, when the emperor actually played the role of a central bank, or the confrontation with Parthia in the last years of his life, when, as a result of the intrigues of Tiberius, Parthia lost Armenia) and suppressed corruption and the abuses of provincial governors. Compared to him, Caligula was an incompetent young idiot who had little understanding of how to govern the country.

Great documentary, however was a little taken aback with the literally hands on approach. Surely priceless artifacts shouldn't be handled without fear of damaging them ? Gloves may show a little more consideration ?

@jimmyh6601

2 ай бұрын

It's been proven that if you wear gloves you tend to touch things harder and cause more damage.

@ddbb6618

2 ай бұрын

@@jimmyh6601 Yep agree there, but was thinking of the soft white gloves, to prevent oils and moisture from the skin being transferred

I’m not sure who’s worse out of him, Nero or Elagabalus

If the serious illness was a fever, early on in his reign, was it brain damage because of that made him worse than the average "mad emperor?"

Every sense I have, and I have these senses about some people in history, says he may well have been an enormous victim of circumstance..

@27:00 and throughout - Good Grief! Who in the world agreed she could touch the artefacts? And why would she? That is museum "no-no" 101.......

His grandfather was Agrippa and although his ancestor was one of the greatest Romans ever lived. He hated the fact that he was his ancestor due to Agrippa’s humble origins and spread false rumours about Augustus and his daughter Julia.

Near the end, the scene with the bust of Claudius, I am reminded of the last lines of the Who song We Won't Get Fooled Again, "Meet the new Boss, same as the old Boss."

Commodus ran him a pretty close second, how Commodus managed to be the son of Marcus Aurelius is one of the great mysteries of the human race.

@stephenreeds3632

3 ай бұрын

"Great" fathers often produce inadequate sons....they can't live up to them.

Elagabalus: sure...

Yeah I bet NO ONE called him calligula to his face. Probably just imperator or gaius julius caesar germanicus before Tiberius died. Gaius Augustus Caesar Germanicus after Tiberius died.

great