Instant Classics

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. Read more

History

Episodes

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spartan: Spies and Spycraft in Ancient Greece

01/15/2026 00:42:35Underneath the Toga pt 2 (With Naomi Alderman)

01/08/2026 00:47:23 Instant Answers: New Year’s Day Q&A

01/01/2026 00:50:51A Very Merry Saturnalia to You

12/25/2025 00:45:08A Day at the Theatre in Ancient Athens

12/18/2025 00:51:16 Show all episodes

Our take on Instant Classics podcast

Instant Classics is a history podcast by Vespucci.

Producer
Vespucci

Host
Mary Beard and Charlotte Higgins

Country
United Kingdom

Episodes count
27

Average duration
40'

Frequency
Weekly

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Listener reviews

Peter - 11/03/2025
What a refreshing and wonderful surprise. While Mary Beard is rightly well known for her writing and witty and iconoclastic commentary on classical history and literature, Charlotte Higgins is less well known as an expert on the classics, at least to on American audience, but like many successful podcasts, they are more than the sum of their individual contributions. A bow to «The Rest Is History» that recently featured Mary Beard and brought this new podcast to the attention of their large audience, including me. I look forward to more episodes and the «book club. »