“I see the classics all around me, but that’s me,” says eminent classicist Mary Beard. “I like studying the ancients—it’s partly because they’re interesting, but they also give me a way of focusing back on to the things about our own culture that they would find odd,” she adds. Mary Beard is one of the 2019 recipients of the J. Paul Getty Medal for contributions to the arts, along with painter, photographer, and bookmaker Ed Ruscha and multimedia artist and photographer Lorna Simpson. Join Beard

Clytemnestra, in Greek legend, is a daughter of Leda and Tyndareus and wife of Agamemnon, commander of the Greek forces in the Trojan War. She took Aegisthus as her lover while Agamemnon was away at war. Upon his return, Clytemnestra and Aegisthus murdered Agamemnon. | History Hit

Step into the captivating world of ancient Rome with Mary Beard’s Emperor of Rome, brought to life in a beautifully crafted Folio edition. Filled with artefacts, paintings, statues, and more, this volume vividly explores the reigns of rulers from Julius Caesar to Alexander Severus. Discover more via the link in our bio. | The Folio Society