Bettany

 Bettany Mary Hughes OBE FSA was born in May 1967. She is an English historian and author, who specializes in the field of classical history. Her books published focus on mythology and classical antiquity and the story of Istanbul. She is involved in her efforts to promote the study of classics in UK public schools. Hughes was made an OBE in 2019.In 2010, she delivered the Hellenic Institute's Tenth Annual lecture "Ta Erotika: The Things of Love", and in 2011 gave the Royal Television Society's Huw Wheldon Memorial Lecture. In this lecture, she said that history on television is alive and flourishing in the new golden time. Hughes was chair of the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2011, which is the only annual award for stories written entirely by women. Hughes is patron of The Iris Project, a charity that promotes the study of Latin and Greek in UK public schools. Classics For All is her honorary patron. The campaign's goal is to revive classical languages and ancient civilisations to state schools. She serves as an advisor to the Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation that aims to encourage large-scale collaborative projects that bring together East and West