Mary Beard: Emperor of Rome

Taking the audience beyond the hype of politics, power and succession and into the heart of the palace corridors, these exclusive events promise a revolutionary approach to an apparently familiar subject. Mary will uncover the facts and fiction of these rulers, asking what they did and why, and how we have got such a lurid view of them. Through the thrilling themes of autocracy, corruption, and conspiracy – and also the day-to-day practicalities of the emperors’ lives (who did the cooking, or took the dictation?) – she will explore how they managed a huge empire and how they faced their subjects (and vice versa).