Multi-millionaire UKIP donor Arron Banks challenged Cambridge classicist Mary Beard to a debate on history when he blamed the fall of the Roman Empire on immigrants and told her she 'doesn't have a monopoly' on the subject.

Mr Banks, who funded the Leave.EU campaign with Nigel Farage, announced on Twitter yesterday that the Roman Empire was 'effectively destroyed by immigration'.

But Professor Beard, who works at the University of Cambridge and has written several books on Roman history, decided to intervene, suggesting to the insurance tycoon he needed to do 'more reading' on the topic.

Millionaire UKIP donor Arron Banks (left) challenged Cambridge classicist Mary Beard (right) to a debate on history when he blamed the fall of the Roman Empire on immigrants and told her she 'doesn't have a monopoly' on the subject

Mr Banks announced on Twitter yesterday that the Roman Empire was 'effectively destroyed by immigration'

She wrote: 'I think you all need to do a bit more reading in Roman history before telling us what caused the fall of Rome. Facts guys!'

Mr Banks then boasted that he had studied 'Roman history extensively' at school and 'loved watching Gladiator' so would not be lectured by her.

The businessman added: 'You don't have a monopoly on history!'

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

Her latest series was Ultimate Rome: Empire Without Limit.

Despite her credentials, Mr Banks continued to spar with Professor Beard. He replied sarcastically: 'Yes sacking Rome nothing to do with the down fall (eyes to sky).'

Professor Beard then replied: 'Sorry but you may have strong views but you guys don't know Roman history.'

Mr Banks again replied, suggesting that he was in a position to comment because of what he had learnt at school - and because he enjoys Russell Crowe's peformance in Gladiator.

'I studied roman history extensively - you don't have a monopoly on history!' he wrote.

Arron Banks, who funded the Leave.EU campaign with Nigel Farage (pictured together), mocked Beard when she replied to him, saying: 'I didn't realise you had a single perfect version of roman history'

Professor Beard then joked about Michael Gove's recent claim that British people have 'had enough of experts'.

She wrote: 'Sorry Mr Banks but this might be a subject on which to listen to experts!'

He then mocking wrote: 'Sorry, I didn't realise you had a single perfect version of roman history.'

Undeterred, he added: '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.'

Professor Beard then questioned who these 'experts' were.

Mr Banks then explained to the professor why he had so much knowledge, writing: 'I regularly visit Rome. I love it.'

In response, Ms Beard told Mr Banks that he needed to get his 'historical facts straight'

The insurance tycoon later said he had knowledge on the subject because he had 'studied it extensively'. He then said to Professor Beard: 'You don't have a monopoly on history!'

Professor Beard (pictured front a BBC show on the Romans) - a professor of classics and a fellow of Newnham College since 1984 - has produced multiple series on Rome for the BBC and is one of Britain’s best-known scholars

He then added: 'I love Gladiator, always watch it with my son.'

He also wrote: 'I did enjoy I Claudius on tv but the book was better.'

Following the spat, Twitter users mocked Mr Banks for his argument.

Jason Brown wrote: 'Next week he'll teach Tim Berners-Lee about the internet and define rock and roll to Paul McCartney.'

Mark Graham added: 'As an English exceptionalist, he probably thinks he's a direct descendant.'

Following the spat, Twitter users mocked Mr Banks for his argument, with one saying: 'This is such a metaphor for 2016 I can't even take it'

Mark Tracey quipped: 'Maybe he read Asterix as well.'

He later conceded that maybe Professor Beard did have a point, writing: '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.'

It is the second time that a member of UKIP has argued with an expert about the subject they study.

In September, Douglas Carswell MP sent Sussex Professor Paul Nightingale a tweet, saying: 'Surprised head of Science research at a university refutes idea sun's gravity causes tides.'