Julius Caesar, with Mary Beard

This podcast episode features Tom Holland and Mary Beard discussing Julius Caesar as part of a four-episode series on iconic themes in ancient history. They highlight Caesar's significance as a figure who branded his name onto modern politics and compare him to Alexander the Great, noting differences in their rule and the availability of contemporary sources for Caesar. The discussion then shifts to the state of Rome at Caesar's birth in 100 BC, describing it as a crowded, squalid city of brick and local stone, yet one that ruled the Mediterranean world. They emphasize the importance of Caesar being born into a republic, a political structure built on the detestation of monarchy and power-sharing, which was ill-suited to managing a vast empire and eventually led to civil unrest.