Bettany

 Bettany Mary Hughes OBE, FSA was born in May 1967. She is an English historian and writer, who is a specialist in classical history. Her books cover mythology, classical antiquity as well as the historical background of Istanbul. She is a strong advocate for the teaching of classical studies in UK public schools. Hughes was awarded an OBE in the year 2019. In 2010, she gave the Hellenic Institute's Tenth Annual Lecture "Ta Erotika The Things of Love" and in 2011, she was a speaker at the Royal Television Society's Huw Wilson Memorial Lecture. She claimed that the history of television is flourishing and experiencing an exciting new golden age. Hughes was chair of the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2011, which is the only annual prize for writing exclusively by women. Hughes is patron of The Iris Project which promotes the teaching of Latin as well as Greek in UK public schools. Classics For All is her official patron. The campaign's goal is to restore classical languages and ancient civilisations to public schools. She is an adviser to the Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation that aims to encourage large-scale collaborations that bridge East and West.