[Sir Ronald Syme - Portrait from Life]

This recording is an excerpt from an episode of the 1950's biographical radio series, "Portrait from Life." It features a biography of New Zealand-born ancient historian, Sir Ronald Syme. It features excerpts from an interview with Syme and narration by an unidentified female broadcaster.

He talks about his childhood and education in Taranaki and at Victoria University College in 1901, where he first began learning Greek and chose a classical course of study. He moved to Auckland University and lectured there while studying further, before going to Oriel College, Oxford and focussing on the history of the Roman Empire.

In 1929 he was offered a position at Trinity College where he remained for10 years as a lecturer. He wrote a book "The Roman Revolution" which was published in 1939 in the first week of World War II.

He talks about his war service - he was considered for work at Bletchley Park but instead went to Yugoslavia as a press attache to the British embassy. After the revolution there in 1941 he was told he should leave, and ended up at the British embassy in Ankara and later lectured at the university there.

In 1949 he returned to Trinity College as the Camden Chair of Ancient History, and talks about the history of this position.