Hello and one to the Red Box podcast with me Matt Chorley.

Uh, at the

show on my Times radio show today we talked about

Scotland with a polling legend professor Sir John Curtis who said there was a

decent chance of Scotland becoming independent

Alex Massey and Angela Hagertie also lot horns on that one.

Comedian Shappicos Sandy told us what she would do, she ruled the world.

Labour MP Clive Lewis not totally clear what is

party's policy on wearing face masks is. You can listen to all of that if you want to

listen back to the show on the Times Radio app or online online but on the podcast today we thought we'd bring you

a fascinating chat with Mary Beard the historian and broadcaster who basically

gave me a history lesson a history class in how we can learn from what the Romans ever did for us in our politics and what the ancient Greeks can tell us about politics today in particular the Prime Minister of

obsession with Pericles and Cicero so I hope you enjoy it this is Mary Beard to

talk to me on my Times Radio show 10 till 1 Monday to Thursday.

So now then on Times Radio, what did the Romans ever do for our politics?

And what can ancient history tell us about what is happening?

Today we've got a prime minister who likes to quote Cicero,

and it keeps a bust of Pericles in his office.

And a US President which son have likened to Julius Caesar. But are these parallels useful or not?

In our latest history class, I'm thrilled to be joined by

Professor Mary Beard, leading scholar of ancient civilization at Cambridge and

frankly one of the best classicists around. She's also been hosting a culture show from a study during

...