Bettany Hughes

Once the biggest and most influential city on the planet, founded by Alexander the Great and home to Cleopatra, Archimedes and the largest library in the world. How did this shining beacon for civilisation and knowledge meet its demise? Acclaimed historian Bettany Hughes looks at Alexandria past and present, following in the footsteps of Hypatia, the city's last great female philosopher.

Join historian Bettany Hughes as she explores the different beliefs and practices that form the core of the Buddhist philosophy and investigates how Buddhism started and where it travelled to, through visits to seven of the most spectacular monuments built by Buddhists across the globe.

The mysterious lost city of Atlantis has captured imaginations for centuries. But does new evidence prove that the legendary story is true? Historian Bettany Hughes unravels one of the most intriguing mysteries of all time, as she presents a series of geological, archaeological, and historical clues to show that the legend of Atlantis was inspired by real historical events.

Is there more to Bacchus, the celebrated god of wine, debauchery and excess, than merely being a party animal? Bettany Hughes gets under the skin of the ecstasy god in this revealing BBC history documentary. She learns that alcohol was used to bring communities together and that ecstatic worship was vital to the lives of ancient women. But what's the connection between Bacchus and Jesus?

It's the story of one of antiquity's most potent forces. A story of naked human desire and how that desire transformed who we are and how we behave. Classicist Bettany Hughes embarks on a voyage of discovery, traveling across the globe to reveal the truth about the love, fertility and sex goddess Venus in this BBC history documentary. What relevance does this immortal have in the 21st century?