Webchat with Mary Beard, Tuesday 9 October 12.30-1.30pm

[PatrickMumsnet]

Hi everyone,

We are delighted to welcome the inimitable Mary Beard to Mumsnet for a live webchat on Tuesday 9 October between 12.30-1.30pm.

Mary Beard (who needs no introduction to many of you, we're sure!) is a Professor of Classics at Newnham College, Cambridge, and the classics editor of the TLS. Her books include the acclaimed and best-selling Pompeii, The Roman Triumph, The Parthenon (in the Wonders of the World series of which she is general editor) and It?s A Don?s Life. She is the winner of the Wolfson Prize for History for Pompeii (Profile, 2008), writes a highly successful blog for The Times and recently presented a wonderful BBC TV series on the Romans.

Alongside fellow Classicist Emily Pillinger, Mary will be contributing to a lively 2-day Roman History course as part of the Mumsnet Academy, on 13-14 October at Faber and Faber, London. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet Mary while brushing up on the history of a society that, in many ways, shapes the way we live today. No previous knowledge of Roman History required. Sign up here.

Put 9 October in your diary or if you can't join us live, post a question to Mary in advance.

Darn it - missed you! Will try to not stalk you on Saturday

Completely agree, Issy!!

Have enjoyed following this - thanks to Mary and to the people who asked interesting questions. Waving at other lapsed classicists - maybe we should start a thread (in the History Club section? or Books?) where we can post links to poems, photos, philosophy etc. to share in odd moments.

Interesting to hear about Mary's early encounter with the Elgin Marbles. For me it was the feeling of immediacy on reading Catullus (aged older than 5, obv!) that led me to do Classics. This is why I'm not so keen on the Horrible Histories - I worry that they present history to children in too cartoon-y a way and they don't then get that same thrill of direct contact that you get from photos or the real thing. HH makes it all too removed. That might be just me, though - I didn't like retellings of Greek myths when I was little, either (but ended up doing the Homer paper!)

Thanks very much Mary! I shall make sure I have a packet of garibaldi about my person so I can slip you one next time you're in my building, like a secret handshake

I missed the webchat (was working) but thanks for answering my question.

Here you are puellae, I've started a Lapsed Classicists thread here

I'm being dim I know - but where do I find Mary beard's answers?

Just scroll down the thread, they're highlighted in yellow.

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