Venus and Aphrodite cover art

Venus and Aphrodite

A Biography of Desire

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 Months Free + £10 Audible voucher

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Get this deal
Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST.
More purchase options

Venus and Aphrodite

By: Bettany Hughes
Narrated by: Bettany Hughes
Get this deal

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £10.33

Buy Now for £10.33

A “lively, wide-ranging” (TheTimes, UK)cultural history of the goddess of love

Aphrodite was said to have been born from the sea, rising out of a froth of white foam. But long before the ancient Greeks conceived of this voluptuous blonde, she existed as an early spirit of fertility on the shores of Cyprus—and thousands of years before that, as a ferocious warrior-goddess in the Middle East. Historian Bettany Hughes reveals the remarkable life story of one of antiquity’s most potent myths.

In Venus and Aphrodite,Hughes brings together ancient art, mythology, and archaeology to tell the story of human desire. From Mesopotamia to modern-day London, from Botticelli to Beyoncé, Hughes explains why this immortal goddess continues to entrance us today—and how we trivialize her power at our peril.

Ancient Customs & Traditions Europe Greece Religious Studies Rome Social Sciences Women Ancient History Mythology Ancient Greece Greek Mythology Middle East Tradition
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Critic reviews

"A marvellous biography of a goddess that delves beneath her passive modern image."—BBC History Magazine
"Informative and entertaining."—Publishers Weekly
"An intriguing tale that tracks the gorgeous and omnipresent Venus of western civilisation back 6,000 years ... engrossing."—The Spectator
"In this lively, wide-ranging book, Hughes paints a portrait of a darker Venus, a violent, vengeful 'shape-shifting' Venus, with salt in her hair and surf at her feet."—The Times
"This is a thoroughly enjoyable history of Venus, the goddess of love, and her many manifestations throughout history. From antiquity through modern day, historian Hughes artfully weaves together elements of myth, history, religion, philosophy, literature, art, and pop culture to demonstrate this deity's centuries-long impact... Fun and fascinating..."—Booklist
"Quick paced, insightful, and often times humorous, this newest work by Hughes is an approachable look at the ancient legacy of the goddess, Aphrodite-Venus. The author provides an impressive exploration of over 4,000 years of human history, as well as the relationship between the goddess and the collective human psyche."—Library Journal
All stars
Most relevant
Very enjoyable - interesting, pithy and short. A lovely injection of art history and light feminism for an afternoon. Will be reading much more of Bettany Hughes work

Fabulous

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.