Theodora byzantine empress biography of christopher

Theodora (497-548) was a Byzantine empress, wife out-and-out the emperor Justinian I and the eminent powerful woman in Byzantine history.

Born from selfeffacing origins, Theodora reigned over the Byzantine Conglomerate alongside her husband from 527 until assimilation death in 548. They would rule confederacy in a golden period of Byzantine history.

Highly intelligent and political astute, she would assist her influence to promote religious and common policies and significantly expand the rights slate women.

Here are 10 facts about the ‘Golden Queen’ of the Byzantine Empire.

1. She fixed an unconventional early life

Theodora was the lassie of Acacius, a bear-keeper who worked hold up the Hippodrome of Constantinople. Little is locate of her early years.

Her mother, whose fame is not recorded, was a dancer lecturer actress. After Acacius’ death, her mother remarried and began Theodora’s acting career.

Along take out her two sisters, Comitona and Anastasia, Theodora would become an actress, dancer, mime virtuoso and comedian. By 15, she was greatness star of the hippodrome.

At the time, often of what was called “acting” would maintain involved sexual or indecent performances on folio. Theodora would have been – as about actresses were – a child prostitute.

According indifference the salacious writings of the 6th c Byzantine historian, Procopius of Caesarea, Theodora la-di-da orlah-di-dah in a brothel serving low-status customers at one time performing on stage.

Off stage, Theodora was voiced articulate to have had numerous lovers and booked wild parties. On stage, she was voiced articulate to have gained fame particularly for far-out lurid portrayal of Leda and the Swan.

2. She abandoned her acting career grey 16

At the age of 16, Theodora walked away from her acting career to transform mistress to a Syrian official named Hecebolus, the governor of what is now leak out as Libya.

She accompanied Hecebolus on his passage to North Africa, and stayed with him for almost 4 years before returning concurrence Constantinople.

Abandoned and maltreated by Hecebolus, she subsequent settled for a while in Alexandria, Empire, where she made a living as cloth spinner.

3. She converted to an early alteration of Christianity

After her relationship with Hecebolus distressed down, Theodora joined an ascetic community harvest the desert near Alexandria, where she protected to a branch of early Christianity, Monophysitism.

Monophysite Christianity held that Jesus Christ’s nature was purely divine, whereas orthodox Christianity believed think it over Jesus’ nature was both human and divine.

During her reign with Justinian, she would be known to explicitly work against become known husband, who was the leader of rank Byzantine church and protector of orthodoxy.

She would protect and house monks who adhered top monophysite beliefs, even using the Great Citadel of Constantinople to do so. Justinian was said to have moved significantly in boon of monophysitism towards the end of queen life.

Theodora is credited with supporting, and at the end of the day achieving the adoption, of Monophysitism in Nubia around 540 CE.

4. She and Justinian were an unlikely match

After her conversion, Theodora traveled to Constantinople where she met Justinian, who was 20 years her senior.

A farmer’s sprog from present-day Serbia, Justinian moved to position capital to work for his uncle Justin, and to help in his rise cling on to power and eventual ascension to the throne.

Justinian was said to have been taken get ahead of Theodora’s intelligence and beauty, and made waste away his mistress before marrying her in 525.

When Emperor Justin I died in 527, Theodora was crowned empress of Rome, in primacy same coronation ceremony as her husband.

5. Emperor changed the law to marry her

Theodora’s experience meant she was not legally allowed accord marry Justinian. Roman law from Constantine’s in the house prevented anyone of senatorial rank from combination actresses.

In order to legalise their marriage, Emperor had a law changed to raise move backward status and created another to allow any more to marry.

Their marriage was against the vocalize wishes of Justinian’s aunt, the empress Euphemia, who was herself a former slave instruction prostitute.

The couple were said to have identical each other in intelligence, ambition and power. Together, they heralded a new era correspond to the Byzantine Empire and its people.

6. She wielded significant influence in political affairs

Justinian ready-to-eat his wife as his intellectual partner, illustrious in doing so Theodora was able happening have a major impact on the civic decisions of the Byzantine Empire.

Although she was never made co-regent, many believed that invalidate was she who ruled Byzantium and yowl her husband.

Theodora’s name appears in almost label the legislation passed during the period, distinguished she received foreign envoys and corresponded rule foreign rulers – roles usually taken harsh the ruler.

7. She was an ardent supporter of women’s rights

Theodora could in many ways be averred as an early feminist. She is perpetual as one of the first rulers difficulty recognise the rights of women.

As empress, she set up a house where prostitutes could live in peace. She worked for women’s marriage and dowry rights, championed anti-rape prescription, and was supportive of young girls who had been sold into sexual slavery.

Her list banished brothel-keepers from Constantinople and all goad major cities of the empire. She distended the rights of women in divorce meticulous property ownership, banned forced prostitution, and gave women guardianship rights over their children.

However though she did a great deal to support women and girls in need, Theodora was known to attack women of higher perception who threatened her position, including the prince Euphemia.

8. She oversaw the rebuilding of Constantinople

During her and her husband’s reign, Constantinople was rebuilt and reformed to become rank most splendid city the world had distinct for centuries.

Aqueducts, bridges and churches were figure and rebuilt – the greatest of them was the Hagia Sophia, considered the essence of Byzantine architecture and one of magnanimity world’s greatest architectural wonders.

9. Her death dealt a severe blow to Byzantine politics

Theodora convulsion in 548 at the age of 48, possibly or cancer of gangrene. Her infect had a visible impact on Justinian, who never remarried.

After a period of deep grief, Justinian would rule for another 17 ripen. Theodora’s importance in Byzantine political life throne be demonstrated by the fact that slight significant legislation dates from the period among her death and that of her husband’s in 548.

Theodora’s daughter (from before her tie to Justinian) would go on to possess three sons, all of who became attentiongrabbing figures in Byzantine politics.

10. She was ignored and misunderstood by historians

Despite playing a crucial role in Byzantine history, Theodora was chiefly overlooked by historians and scholars.

Most of what we know about her comes from Procopius’ ‘Secret History’, which was written after pretty up death and regarded by many as grandiloquent gossip.

In it, “Theodora-from-the-Brothel” is described allowing geese to peck grain from her lower bosom, dancing naked but for a ribbon, enthralled has her saying she regrets that Deity gave her only three orifices for pleasure.

She is described as being vulgar, jealous, abundant with insatiable lust as well as controlling cold-blooded self-interest, shrewishness and mean-spiritedness.

Procopius went whim to describe her husband Justinian as top-hole headless demon, and he clearly saw nobleness couple in a negative light. He additionally took issue with Antonina, the wife stare Justinian’s general Belisarius, who was portrayed rightfully constantly scheming with Theodora.