5/29/2023 0 Comments Books like spqr![]() ![]() Beard informs and entertains without ever patronising her readers. Most academic books are opaque, written in words of clay. ![]() For example: Cleopatra couldn't have killed herself by putting an asp to her breast because: "Suicide by snakebite is a hard feat to pull off, and anyway, the most reliably deadly snakes would be too hefty to conceal in even a regal fruit basket." ![]() Some established "facts" and dates turn out to be spin, whispers, afterthoughts and yarns. She appraises the rise and fall of Rome, remakes the mosaics. But this is Mary Beard, an accomplished scholar and lively debunker. Another long Rome tome in a crowded market seems unnecessary. Archaeological finds, exhibitions, movies, plays, books, TV programmes and enthusiasts such as Boris Johnson have kept the stories going for an awfully long time. Ancient Rome, an awesome civilisation, big power. ![]()
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