Classicist Dame Mary Beard joins host Patrick Spero to explore what “useful knowledge” means for understanding the ancient world—and ourselves. From Roman ideas of punishment and citizenship to the myths of freedom and democracy, Beard shows how history offers a new vantage point on the present. She also reflects on how emerging technologies like DNA analysis are reshaping what we know about ancient lives, while reminding us that the real breakthroughs come from asking new questions.