Mary Beard explores some of Rome’s most important emperors in a new one-hour documentary coming to BBC Two and iPlayer on April 8th.
In Meet the Roman Emperor with Mary Beard, the renowned classicist will look at the lives of a host of famous figures including Augustus, Nero, Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius, plus lesser-known characters such as the fearful Domitian who lined his walls with mirrored surfaces so he could see his enemies coming.
During the programme, Beard travels from Hadrian’s megalomaniac villa at Tivoli to the submerged ruins of Claudius’ pleasure palace in the Bay of Naples.
And with the help of fellow classicist Silvia Orlandi, Mary discovers the satirical graffiti scratched into plaster by slaves, explores body language with Italian etiquette expert Elisa Motterle and debates Marcus Aurelius’ stoic journals with philosopher Angie Hobbs.
Mary Beard said: “We tend to fantasize about the absolute power of the Roman emperor. We imagine that he could do what he liked, didn’t have to lift a finger, and we’re drawn to the grandeur and the luxury. We might even envy it, but should we be careful what we wish for? Should the Emperor actually inspire as much pity as envy?”
Simon Young, Head of History, BBC Factual Commissioning, said: “From the rise of Julius Caesar and the ruins of Pompeii to the lives of the emperors we’re giving audiences a fresh insight into how the Romans really lived, from the very top of society to the bottom. There is no-one better than Mary Beard to bring us up close and personal with Rome’s all-powerful leaders.”
Richard Bradley, Head of producers Lion Television, added: “At a time in the present when we watch on as leaders seize and wield absolute power, it feels the right time to scrutinise the Roman Emperors who set the template for dictatorship, 2,000 years ago. And we are lucky to be filming in the very places they lived, ruled, partied and plotted.”