Photo: UC3M (youtube) / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Mary Beard was born on January 1, 1955 in Much Wenlock, United Kingdom and is credited as a historian of religion, university teacher and television presenter. As of 2026, Mary Beard is 71 years old. Schooling on record includes Shrewsbury High School and Newnham College. Awards on record include Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Bodley Medal (2016), Princess of Asturias Awards (2016) and 5 more. Credited works include Us and Them.
My Take
Mary Beard sits in a category of her own for me. A Cambridge classicist specializing in Ancient Rome, she refused to lock her scholarship inside the ivory tower and instead carried ancient history into living rooms as a television presenter while serving as a trustee of the British Museum. The Wolfson History Prize, the Princess of Asturias Award, the OBE; the honors read like a roll call, and every one feels deserved. What moves me most is her conviction that the past belongs to everyone, that a single Roman stone can open a window onto human life. Few public intellectuals make rigor this generous and this accessible.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Mary Beard
- Name (Japanese)
- メアリー・ビアード
- Reading
- めありー・びあーど
- Born
- January 1, 1955 (age 71)
- Origin
- Much Wenlock, United Kingdom
- Occupation
- historian of religion / university teacher / television presenter / classical philologist / historian
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Goat
2. Background
- High school
- Shrewsbury High School
- University
- Newnham College
Awards & achievements
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire
- 2016 Bodley Medal
- 2016 Princess of Asturias Awards
- 2009 Wolfson History Prize
- Fellow of the British Academy
- Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries
- Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- honorary doctor of the Open University of Catalonia
3. Works & records
Filmography / notable works
| Category | Title |
|---|---|
| Notable work | Us and Them |
4. Links
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Mary Beard born?
Born January 1, 1955 (age 71).
Where is Mary Beard from?
Mary Beard is from Much Wenlock, United Kingdom.
What does Mary Beard do?
Mary Beard works as historian of religion, university teacher, television presenter, classical philologist, historian.
What is Mary Beard known for?
Notable works include Us and Them.
University teacher — see all → · More people from the United Kingdom →