The Roman Triumph Mary Beard Mary Beard's richly illustrated work is a testament to the profound importance of the triumph in Roman culture - and for monarchs, dynasts, and generals ever since. But how can we re-create the ceremony as it was celebrated in Rome? How can we piece together its elusive traces in art and literature? Beard addresses these questions, opening a window on the intriguing process of sifting through and making sense of what constitutes "history". Mary Beard holds a Chair of Classics at Cambridge University and is a Fellow of Newnham College. She is classics editor of the Times Literary Supplement and of the blog "A Don's Life". Her many books include The Fires of Vesuvius and The Parthenon (both form Harvard).