Paul Beston
Inspired by finding a musket-ball in Gibraltar, Paul spent his childhood drawing Spartans, watching historical documentaries and devouring archaeology books. Certain that life ought to revolve around his passion for the ancient world Paul studied Ancient History at King’s College, London, gaining a first, and then earned a distinction in his Masters. Alongside lecturing posts at King’s and Royal Holloway in London, he has acted as an historical adviser for TV including HBO’s Fire from Heaven. Previously he taught Classics in Hertfordshire but we are delighted that he is now full time with us. He is also working with Michael Metcalfe on the publication of some notebooks of early travellers to Greece. He has a lively interest in all periods and regions, but a particular passion for Late Antiquity, Roman Britain and the Near East. He also focuses on tour design, creative content, and writes our blog and newsletters. We are very glad Paul is on our team of guides.
What previous guests have to say about Paul:
"Paul Beston is fantastic. He is hugely knowledgeable and engaging and really brings the history to life. He is the difference-maker!" Rhys Grossman
"Couldn’t have been better. Incredibly knowledgeable, professional, and never off duty. Nothing was too much trouble. This was our second trip with Paul Beston as a guide and he did not disappoint. Rome was brought alive! It was another amazing holiday and we will be back." Jan Rowland
"A wonderful learned host whose comprehensive and lively knowledge was superb. I would give Paul a 12 out of 10 – always engaging, open to questions - I was enthralled and engaged, and appreciated his care for everyone on the trip. An intellectual feast!" Janyce Rebecca Lyman
"Paul is the most excellent guide for all things ancient." Christopher Shore
"Paul made it an outstanding trip. 10 out of 10. If I could rate at a higher level I would. Paul is an excellent leader, source and inspiration." John Persiani
Sicily Exploring Sicily
Greece Exploring Macedonia Tour
UK Exploring Hadrian's Wall: Romans, Reivers and Romantics
Sicily Exploring Sicily
Italy Exploring Rome
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Aiani - A Revelation in Upper Macedonia, Greece Aiani is not a well-known site, even among ancient historians. It’s in a region anciently called Elimia or Elimiotis, part of what’s known as Upper Macedonia. The latter isn’t ... Read More
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The Medieval Castle at Platamon in Macedonia, Greece It would almost take an act of will to miss Platamon Castle as you drive south out of Macedonia towards Thessaly, so prominent is it on its rocky eminence, ... Read More
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The ancient Greek Temples at Agrigento, Sicily Agrigento is quite an assault on the senses. Everywhere there is scale and hugeness. It bespeaks vastness wherever the head turns. In part, this is a contribution of geography, which ... Read More -
Rhodes and the Knights - Some of the most magnificent defensive walls in the Mediterranean Rhodes now is a place of sun-bleached streets, t-shirted visitors ambling past brightly-painted houses thinking glad thoughts, rightly congratulating themselves they made the decision to come to a place that’s ... Read More
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The City of Stageira, home of Aristotle in Macedonia, Northern Greece Stageira’s not one of the first rank cities of the ancient Greek world and doesn’t trouble the histories of the period too much, but it did have the lure of ... Read More
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Rethymno and its Venetian fortress, the Fortezza, on the island of Crete Rethymno’s Fortezza crowns a great craggy rock over the town on the northern shore of Crete, sure to draw the eye whether you’re immediately under its towering thick and ... Read More
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A visit to the Legions: a review of the British Museum's exhibition The Roman army is one of the reasons I’m sitting here writing this. As a child living around the fringes of army bases that sort of topic was always going ... Read More
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The Great Temples of Sicily There are at least a thousand reasons to visit Sicily, the great island - indeed the largest in the Mediterranean - that forms the triangular football to the boot that ... Read More
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The island of Crete in Greece: what do you see from here? Have you been to Crete? Have you explored the remarkable Minoan places, explored the dramatic mountains and coastline and savoured the wonderful cuisine, often considered the best in Greece? Oh ... Read More
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'Gold of the Great Steppe' at the Fitzwilliam Museum Some time in antiquity - we can’t be sure exactly when, but some time around the eighth-sixth centuries BC - grave robbers broke into a large burial tumulus near its ... Read More
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Troy: Myth and Reality at the British Museum Putting on an exhibition about Troy and the Trojan War carries a particular weight of expectation. It’s at the centre of everything for so many of us: archaeologists, ancient historians, ... Read More
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A Travel Postcard from Wales: some key places to visit This article was first published in 'The American'. In Wales, you have to start with mountains and hills. There’s probably an ordinance written somewhere, and, to be fair, it makes ... Read More
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Another thing: Small Slabs and a Big Story in Canterbury Another thing” is a series of occasional posts, each presenting a particularly interesting, beautiful or unusual object on display at one of the museums or sites on our tours (and ... Read More
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A travel postcard from Wessex: Exploring England from Stonehenge to Bath There’s not one Wessex, familiar though the name is, but several. None of them is quite real, anymore. They’re either historically distant, meaning we have to fill the gaps with ... Read More
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A Travel Postcard from Hadrian's Wall: Why Visit and What to See Stand somewhere on the mid-section of Hadrian’s Wall and look out at views that stretch for miles - and thousands of years. From Limestone Corner, maybe. Step out of the ... Read More
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"Scythians: Warriors of Ancient Siberia" at the British Museum, London Scythians: Warriors of Ancient Siberia follows on in a way from the British Museum’s recent Celts exhibition in being an overarching introduction to a whole people. This isn’t unlike the ... Read More
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Will the real Augustus please stand up? Last week marked the 2000th anniversary of the death of Augustus, that most famous of Roman emperors, on August 19th of AD 14. To mark the occasion, Paul Beston, who ... Read More
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Gallipoli 1915: Agamemnon returns to Troy The Gallipoli Campaign, a pivotal event in the First World War, began 99 years ago, on April 25th, 1915. Paul Beston, who has newly joined Peter Sommer Travels' roster of ... Read More
