Bettany Mary Hughes OBE FSA (born May 1967)[1][2] is an English historian, author, and broadcaster, specialising in classical history.

[10] In 2010, she gave the Hellenic Institute's Tenth Annual lecture "Ta Erotika: The Things of Love";[11] in 2011, Hughes gave the Royal Television Society's Huw Wheldon Memorial Lecture, in which she argued that history on television is thriving and enjoying a new golden age.

[14] Hughes is a patron of The Iris Project, a charity that promotes the teaching of Latin and Greek in UK state schools.

[17] She is an advisor to the Foundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation which aims to foster large-scale collaborative projects between East and West.

[21] She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to history.

[22] Hughes is married to Adrian Evans, events director and producer, who was pageant master for the Diamond and Platinum Jubilees; the couple have two daughters Sorrel and May.