
Join world-renowned classicist Mary Beard and Guardian chief culture writer Charlotte Higgins for Instant Classics — the weekly podcast that proves ancient history is still relevant. Ancient stories, modern twists… and no degree in Classics required. Become a Member of the Instant Classics Book Club here: instantclassics.supportingcast.fm/
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 60 | Founded | 9 months ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Category | History | |||

Another trailer for Christopher Nolan’s forthcoming adaptation of The Odyssey has just been released, giving more insights into the world the cast and crew have created. Mary and Charlotte give their quick-fire response.
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For many years, Cleopatra and Mark Antony lived a life of extravagance and passion - or so we’re told. In this episode, Mary and Charlotte look at what happened next. Mark Antony, with Cleopatra, met their enemy Octavian in a sea battle off the coast... more
If it hadn’t been for Rome, Cleopatra’s sole claim to fame may have been that she married two of her brothers. But then Julius Caesar arrived in Alexandria… In this episode, Mary and Charlotte recount what happened next. Caesar came to Egypt in pursu... more
In the first episode of a five-part series, Mary and Charlotte tell the story of Queen Cleopatra’s early years. Forget, for the time being, Elizabeth Taylor rolling out of a rug, poisonous asps and baths of asses’ milk. Focus instead on inbreeding an... more
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I have always loved Mary Beard but I find the style of this podcast quite frustrating. One example was the recent episode on what poor Romans ate. Lots of words, lots of examples of how we know what they ate, but very little information on what they ate.
Very accessible and interesting. Allows you to enter this fascinating world even if you never studied the subject and have no knowledge of Greek or Latin or much history!
Finally an entertaining, intelligent and accessible history podcast. Wonderful!
67 on a merry rizzmas6️⃣7️⃣
So insightful and interesting. Love to hear the details of the lives that came way before us and the world they lived in.
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A scholarly, accessible deep-dive into ancient history and literature, led by two acclaimed historians/journalists who explore how classical stories remain relevant today. Episodes mix rigorous source discussion with lively banter, addressing politics, gender, myth, and modern culture through Cleopatra, Rome, ancient philosophy, and book-club style explorations, often featuring guest scholars. The show stands out for its strong pair dynamic, rigorous analysis, and approachable narrative that invites both enthusiasts and newcomers to rethink well-trodden histories.
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Instant Classics. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Instant Classics and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
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These podcasts share a similar audience with Instant Classics:
1. The Ancients
2. The Rest Is History
3. HistoryExtra podcast
4. Gone Medieval
5. In Our Time
Instant Classics launched 9 months ago and published 60 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Instant Classics include:
1. Grayson Perry
2. Mary Beard
3. Tom Holland
4. Naomi Alderman
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