Ukip Donor Mansplains Fall Of Roman Empire To Classicist Mary Beard

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Ukip donor Arron Banks has taken the bold step of challenging Cambridge University classicist Mary Beard on her knowledge of Roman history, citing his schoolboy studies and Russell Crowe Hollywood epic Gladiator as his sources.

Beard - a professor of classics and a fellow of Newnham College since 1984 who has produced multiple series on Rome for the BBC - is one of Britain’s best-known scholars.

The university don clearly felt she had to intervene on Twitter when Banks - the multi-millionaire diamond mine-owning insurance tycoon who has bankrolled Ukip and played a key role in Brexit - started to link the fall of the Roman Empire with troubles affecting the European Union.

It started with this pithy summary of his position.

True the Roman Empire was effectively destroyed by immigration. https://t.co/V7H6zF2K5a
— Arron Banks (@Arron_banks) December 4, 2016

Beard, whose last series was Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit, suggested Banks may not have a complete grasp of the subject.

@Arron_banks i think you all need to do a bit more reading in Roman history before telling uswhat caused the fall of Rome. Facts guys!
— mary beard (@wmarybeard) December 4, 2016

It didn’t take long for the mansplaining to begin, served with a roll of the eyes.

@wmarybeard yes sacking Rome nothing to do with the down fall ( eyes to sky ) https://t.co/3QvAAuJGT6
— Arron Banks (@Arron_banks) December 5, 2016

Beard suggested, again, history might be a little more complicated than that.

@Mr__XYZ @Arron_banks sorry but you may have strong views but you guys don't know Roman history.
— mary beard (@wmarybeard) December 5, 2016

Rather than defer to a respected historian’s perspective, the businessman doubled down.

I studied roman history extensively - you don't have a monopoly on history ! https://t.co/7hZH8fZZWE
— Arron Banks (@Arron_banks) December 5, 2016

““You don’t have a monopoly on history.””

A point of view, for sure, but Beard’s riposte was cat-nip to any self-respecting Brexiteer.

@Arron_banks @Mr__XYZ @Senor_gulicreza @Fraser91A sorry mr banks but this might be a subject on which to listen to experts!
— mary beard (@wmarybeard) December 5, 2016

”People are sick of experts,” is what fellow Leave campaigner Michael Gove argued, and it still sticks in the throat when an expert - often quite literally - lectures us, at least among some.

Sorry I didn't realise you had a single perfect version of roman history. https://t.co/nmCD2eVLce
— Arron Banks (@Arron_banks) December 5, 2016

Bit between his teeth, Banks fleshed out his thesis in a further tweet.

The Huns pushed the Goths south to the border of Italy,Rome mishandled the migration crisis, sound familiar, 2 yrs later they sacked Rome. https://t.co/FPWMdeTGHe
— Arron Banks (@Arron_banks) December 5, 2016

That may have been too rich for Beard’s stomach.

@Arron_banks @Mr__XYZ @atomiumlondon hang on....
— mary beard (@wmarybeard) December 5, 2016

Then we got a glimpse of the source of his insight.

Well the "experts " I read at school believed the sacking of Rome and the break up was caused by failure to control hordes on the border ! https://t.co/pPSuSmzmg2
— Arron Banks (@Arron_banks) December 5, 2016

This piqued Beard’s curiosity.

@Arron_banks @Mr__XYZ @Senor_gulicreza @Fraser91A just wondering who those experts/books were
— mary beard (@wmarybeard) December 5, 2016

Banks was happy to oblige.

Oh crikey , school boy history - my teacher was from Cambridge and taught the classics https://t.co/5QTiT6s2IQ
— Arron Banks (@Arron_banks) December 5, 2016

Beard indulged Banks to some extent.

@Westwood7Mark @Arron_banks @Mr__XYZ @Senor_gulicreza @Fraser91A one powerful modern view is to see creation of series of miniRomes.
— mary beard (@wmarybeard) December 5, 2016

So Banks pulled out the big guns.

Didn't marcellinus say something about savages beyond compare falling down on Rome and destroying the empire ... you would probably know https://t.co/i52LEHUxsk
— Arron Banks (@Arron_banks) December 5, 2016

As more gathered round to witness the conversation, Banks disclosed some more citations.

Why not I regularly visit Rome I love it https://t.co/65FEtkmebx
— Arron Banks (@Arron_banks) December 5, 2016

I did enjoy I Claudius on tv but the book was better https://t.co/L0MZJoWq8E
— Arron Banks (@Arron_banks) December 5, 2016

I love gladiator always watch it with my son https://t.co/iPmEw3TzHL
— Arron Banks (@Arron_banks) December 5, 2016

Twitter, naturally, loved it - drawing parallels with David Brent looking up Dostoevsky, Monty Python’s The Life of Brian and Frankie Howard in Up Pompeii!.

@hrtbps @Arron_banks @wmarybeard pic.twitter.com/oOw04GeqDo
— Andrew Price (@APriceRF) December 5, 2016

I studied roman history extensively - you don't have a monopoly on history ! pic.twitter.com/lCzTG7z7D9
— Brian Spamander (@BrianSpanner1) December 5, 2016

Roman Empire collapsed because Ludicrus Sextus accidentally read out a scroll in the Senate pic.twitter.com/53Zn3EEyBB
— General Boles (@GeneralBoles) December 5, 2016

J.K Rowling was enjoying the spectacle.

Bloody Professors of Classics at Cambridge University, with their 'facts' and their books that they SELL for MONEY. pic.twitter.com/vovgJF5kdy
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 5, 2016

The gallery had its say.

Beard is a mainstream historian, much like the MSM her ilks days are numbered. @wmarybeard @Arron_banks @Mr__XYZ @Senor_gulicreza @Fraser91A
— Mr Squeaky Clean (@Mr_S_Clean) December 5, 2016

And some wondered what was next in the series.

Next week he'll teach Tim Berners-Lee about the internet and define rock and roll to Paul McCartney https://t.co/BwLfkYGEgo
— Jason Brown (@JPabloMarron) December 5, 2016

Banks latterly appeared to concede he may not have done all the reading.

That seems to have been lost in all the excitement - i'm sure you know much more about the Roman Empire! & you seem a good sport https://t.co/jWT798ObqU
— Arron Banks (@Arron_banks) December 5, 2016

But, then again, not so much.

They view history through the prism they want to , it doesn't make it right or wrong. https://t.co/z8hFtl86qL
— Arron Banks (@Arron_banks) December 5, 2016

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Ukip Donor Mansplains Fall Of Roman Empire To Classicist Mary Beard

It started with this pithy summary of his position.

Beard, whose last series was Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit, suggested Banks may not have a complete grasp of the subject.

It didn’t take long for the mansplaining to begin, served with a roll of the eyes.

Beard suggested, again, history might be a little more complicated than that.

Rather than defer to a respected historian’s perspective, the businessman doubled down.

A point of view, for sure, but Beard’s riposte was cat-nip to any self-respecting Brexiteer.

”People are sick of experts,” is what fellow Leave campaigner Michael Gove argued, and it still sticks in the throat when an expert - often quite literally - lectures us, at least among some.

Bit between his teeth, Banks fleshed out his thesis in a further tweet.

That may have been too rich for Beard’s stomach.

Then we got a glimpse of the source of his insight.

This piqued Beard’s curiosity.

Banks was happy to oblige.

Beard indulged Banks to some extent.

So Banks pulled out the big guns.

As more gathered round to witness the conversation, Banks disclosed some more citations.

Twitter, naturally, loved it - drawing parallels with David Brent looking up Dostoevsky, Monty Python’s The Life of Brian and Frankie Howard in Up Pompeii!.

J.K Rowling was enjoying the spectacle.

The gallery had its say.

And some wondered what was next in the series.

Banks latterly appeared to concede he may not have done all the reading.

But, then again, not so much.

Read more:

Related

What's Hot

What's Hot

It started with this pithy summary of his position.

Beard, whose last series was Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit, suggested Banks may not have a complete grasp of the subject.

It didn’t take long for the mansplaining to begin, served with a roll of the eyes.

Beard suggested, again, history might be a little more complicated than that.

Rather than defer to a respected historian’s perspective, the businessman doubled down.

A point of view, for sure, but Beard’s riposte was cat-nip to any self-respecting Brexiteer.

”People are sick of experts,” is what fellow Leave campaigner Michael Gove argued, and it still sticks in the throat when an expert - often quite literally - lectures us, at least among some.

Bit between his teeth, Banks fleshed out his thesis in a further tweet.

That may have been too rich for Beard’s stomach.

Then we got a glimpse of the source of his insight.

This piqued Beard’s curiosity.

Banks was happy to oblige.

Beard indulged Banks to some extent.

So Banks pulled out the big guns.

As more gathered round to witness the conversation, Banks disclosed some more citations.

Twitter, naturally, loved it - drawing parallels with David Brent looking up Dostoevsky, Monty Python’s The Life of Brian and Frankie Howard in Up Pompeii!.

J.K Rowling was enjoying the spectacle.

The gallery had its say.

And some wondered what was next in the series.

Banks latterly appeared to concede he may not have done all the reading.

But, then again, not so much.

Read more:

Related

What's Hot

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