# Instant Classics A podcast by Vespucci. Join world-renowned classicist Mary Beard and Guardian chief culture writer Charlotte Higgins for Instant Classics — the weekly podcast that proves ancient history is still relevant. Ancient stories, modern twists… and no degree in Classics required. Discover The Odyssey and join the book club at: https://www.exploringtheodyssey.com Feed: https://feeds.megaphone.fm/IMP2568764140 ## Latest episodes - [Exploring Anne Carson](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/360cf1564dbc) (2026-10-22, 62 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR6337281128.mp3 - [Roman Cancel Culture](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/35031c90a830) (2026-10-15, 53 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR7288202263.mp3 - [What did Roman emperors really look like?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/0ce2a094f056) (2026-10-08, 59 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR9880579815.mp3 - [The Bayeux Tapestry: Britain’s Lost Latin masterpiece](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/dfdd45759b73) (2026-10-01, 57 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR3964234664.mp3 - [Classic Chats: Daniel Mendelsohn on translating the Odyssey](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/2b98d5a7af73) (2026-09-24, 60 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR5750127532.mp3 - [How Homer’s Odyssey Conquered the English-speaking World](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/f2d0e8954e21) (2026-09-17, 60 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR7760560422.mp3 - [How Homer's Odyssey Conquered the Ancient World](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/83c5f1ad6818) (2026-09-10, 54 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR6382130167.mp3 - [The Vestal Virgins - just how virginal were they?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/70eef7b4c79e) (2026-09-03, 55 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR4640654912.mp3 - [Classic Chats: Robert Harris on ‘Agrippa’](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/426af81879b8) (2026-08-27, 55 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR2128892119.mp3 - [Marcus Agrippa: Power behind the throne](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/a97951570c20) (2026-08-20, 55 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR8930401332.mp3 - [BONUS Emily Wilson on translating the Odyssey](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/5e2706177627) (2026-08-18, 50 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR3548768196.mp3 - [Classic Chats: Charlotte Higgins on Ukrainian Lessons](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/42fdbd39dcd1) (2026-08-13, 68 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR2547266580.mp3 - [BONUS: Which Translation of the Odyssey should I read?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/ee0f93594089) (2026-08-10, 12 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR1123620368.mp3 - [Classical Beach Reads](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/c216e69fa8ab) (2026-08-06, 59 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR4585672714.mp3 - [Classic Chats: Count Binface (Bonus episode)](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/749b74456746) (2026-08-03, 35 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR6985331343.mp3 - [Classic Chats: Tom Hiddleston on Pompeii](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/09a236ac441d) (2026-07-30, 55 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR3707760790.mp3 - [Christopher Nolan's Odyssey 3: The Pedants Revolt](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/a239318722fc) (2026-07-23, 57 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR1740210504.mp3 - [Christopher Nolan's Odyssey 2: Instant Verdict](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/49f892f36f7c) (2026-07-15, 52 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR7052113184.mp3 - [Christopher Nolan's Odyssey 1: What you need to know before you go](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/31b0d80f31c3) (2026-07-09, 48 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR3390104496.mp3 - [USA 250: “I’m Spartacus!”](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/46acaaf0794e) (2026-07-02, 48 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR8603346570.mp3 - [USA 250: Building a new Rome](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/b4cad156b188) (2026-06-25, 53 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR6634779841.mp3 - [USA 250: President Jackson and the Emperor’s Tomb](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/06d4768f8667) (2026-06-18, 51 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR5370832041.mp3 - [USA 250: America’s Roman Revolution](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/698752bc1222) (2026-06-11, 52 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR7069146065.mp3 - [What did the Romans dream about?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/1ee7795fd299) (2026-06-04, 56 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR2908368423.mp3 - [Cleopatra 5: Cleopatra on Screen](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/0608bbe267b4) (2026-05-28, 61 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR1544958041.mp3 - [Cleopatra 4: Cleopatra on the Page](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/48a119169360) (2026-05-21, 54 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR2373750108.mp3 - [BONUS Mary & Charlotte on the latest trailer for Christopher Nolan's Odyssey](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/cb7156353a57) (2026-05-17, 8 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR4241966922.mp3 - [Cleopatra 3: Life After Death](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/5706400e8952) (2026-05-14, 49 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR8406598604.mp3 - [Cleopatra 2: Cleopatra Meets the Romans](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/3fe8a44564ca) (2026-05-07, 47 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR5001205459.mp3 - [Cleopatra 1: Last Egyptian Pharaoh](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/af579c74fa75) (2026-04-30, 60 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR4492351037.mp3?updated=1777530124 - [Classic Chats: Grayson Perry on why he hates classical civilisation](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/3f6070eec180) (2026-04-23, 51 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR4747674275.mp3?updated=1776921944 - [Talking Classics with Mary Beard](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/811850b0b62b) (2026-04-16, 58 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR3214383179.mp3?updated=1776248176 - [Perpetua: A Martyr in Her Own Words](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/2e27d812c0ac) (2026-04-09, 54 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR7674916639.mp3?updated=1775625168 - [Antigone: Girl vs Tyrant](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/c17b300a64b9) (2026-04-02, 53 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR1209458353.mp3?updated=1775091137 - [Roman Graffiti: The Writing on the Wall](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/37de539e6f18) (2026-03-26, 55 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR6780472800.mp3?updated=1774481499 - [The Great Plague of Athens](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/ca3a412c6c9b) (2026-03-19, 53 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR6982716538.mp3?updated=1773885059 - [What Did the Romans Eat? Part 2: Plebs’ Food](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/54dfa3baa387) (2026-03-12, 45 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR3227307867.mp3?updated=1773200681 - [What Did the Romans Eat? Part 1: Posh Food](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/47561900eb6b) (2026-03-05, 55 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR4398578156.mp3?updated=1772586168 - [Classic Chats: Tom Holland](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/1c405be378d8) (2026-02-26, 57 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR4085419094.mp3?updated=1772071589 - [Who's Afraid of Lupercalia?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/c3c1453d84fb) (2026-02-19, 48 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR2297122428.mp3?updated=1771386349 - [Villain, Victim... Double Agent? The Many Lives of Helen of Troy pt 4](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/9c6a365cdb12) (2026-02-12, 56 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR6328026051.mp3?updated=1770854568 - [Villain, Victim... Double Agent? The Many Lives of Helen of Troy pt 3](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/8e3b09df9270) (2026-02-05, 45 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR6618170381.mp3?updated=1770167631 - [BONUS Mary & Charlotte on the trailer for Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/94ec4abf6443) (2026-02-03, 8 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR9690090416.mp3?updated=1770101753 - [Villain, Victim... Double Agent? The Many Lives of Helen of Troy pt2](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/f323a24cc0dd) (2026-01-29, 50 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR3153283181.mp3?updated=1769642304 - [Villain, Victim... Double Agent? The Many Lives of Helen of Troy pt 1](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/df0cf27f1323) (2026-01-22, 41 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/IMP7444833307.mp3?updated=1769058929 - [Tinker Tailor Soldier Spartan: Spies and Spycraft in Ancient Greece](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/3a5b213aa43e) (2026-01-15, 44 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/IMP9783811740.mp3?updated=1771354524 - [Underneath the Toga pt 2 (With Naomi Alderman)](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/b64328ebf08c) (2026-01-08, 48 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/IMP5981604705.mp3?updated=1767927384 - [Instant Answers: New Year’s Day Q&A](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/086f3b26e4e7) (2026-01-01, 51 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/IMP6892140680.mp3 - [A Very Merry Saturnalia to You](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/e8c63fa12b0d) (2025-12-25, 46 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/IMP9763770232.mp3?updated=1766616440 - [A Day at the Theatre in Ancient Athens](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1831429397/a33ff4571de9) (2025-12-18, 52 min): audio https://traffic.megaphone.fm/IMP4689659218.mp3?updated=1768774850 Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them.