British historian Mary Beard wins Spain’s Asturias prize

British historian Mary Beard was announced here Wednesday as the recipient of the 2016 Princess of Asturias Award for Social Sciences.

Winifred Mary Beard, 61, is professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge and the author of books such as “Pompeii” and “The Roman Triumph.”

She has also written and presented a number of television documentaries about the ancient world.

In announcing the award, the Asturias Foundation cited praise for Beard from University of Saint Andrews professor Stephen Halliwell: “No other classicist alive today has so effectively combined professional excellence in the study of ancient Greek and Roman culture with a preeminent ability to communicate the interest and importance of such research to a wider audience.”

Beard is a fellow of the British Academy and a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as a 2013 recipient of the Order of the British Empire.

“Mary Beard’s work demonstrates her extraordinary talent for making specialized knowledge both accessible and relevant to the general public,” the award jury said.

Established in 1981 as the Prince of Asturias prizes and presented in eight categories, the awards are regarded as the IberoAmerican world’s equivalent of the Nobels.

Along with 50,000 euros (about $56,000) and a statuette based on a sculpture by Joan Miro, each winner receives a diploma and an insignia bearing the Princess of Asturias Foundation’s coat of arms.

The honors were originally conferred on behalf of Spain’s thenCrown Prince Felipe.

With his elevation in 2014 following the abdication of his father, King Juan Carlos, the prizes now bear the title Princess of Asturias, referring to Leonor, oldest child of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia and the new heir to the throne.