Theodora

Theodora (Greek: Θεοδώρα) was born circa 500, in Cyprus. Her father, Acacius, was a bear trainer of the hippodrome's Green faction in Constantinople; her mother, whose name is not recorded, was a dancer and an actress.

Procopius relates that, from an early age, Theodora followed her sister Komito's example and worked in a Constantinople brothel; she later performed on stage. Lynda Garland notes that there seems to be little reason to believe she worked out of a brothel. Employment as an actress would include both indecent exhibitions on stage as well as providing sexual services off stage. So, Theodora earned her living by a combination of her theatrical and sexual skills.

During this time, she met the future wife of General Belisarius, Antonina, with whom she would remain lifelong friends.

At the age of 16, Theodora travelled to North Africa as the companion of a Syrian official, Hecebolus, when he went to the Libyan Pentapolis as governor. She stayed for almost 4 years before returning to Constantinople. Abandoned and maltreated by Hecebolus, on her way to Constantinople, she settled for a while in Alexandria. There, she met Patriarch Timothy III, who was Miaphysite; it was at that time that she converted to Miaphysite Christianity (Miaphsyitism is a Christological formula holding that in the person of Jesus Christ, divine nature and human nature are united).

Theodora returned to Constantinople in 522 and, according to John of Ephesus, gave up her former lifestyle, settling as a wool spinner in a house near the palace. The extreme and conventional nature of the negative rhetoric of Procopius and the positive rhetoric of John of Ephesus has led most scholars to conclude that the veracity of both writers might be questioned.

When Justinian sought to marry Theodora, he could not - he was heir to the throne and a Roman Law from Constantine's time prevented anyone of senatorial rank from marrying actresses. In 525, Emperor Justin I repealed the law, and Justinian married Theodora.

Justinian succeeded to the throne in 527, and Theodora became co-ruler, Empress of the Eastern Roman Empire. She shared in his plans and political strategies, participated in state councils, and Justinian called her his partner in my deliberations. She had her own court, her own official entourage, and her own imperial seal.

Theodora proved herself a worthy and able leader during the Nika riots. There were two rival political factions in the Empire, the Blues and the Greens, who started a riot in January 532 during a chariot race in the hippodrome. The rioters set many public buildings on fire, and proclaimed a new emperor, Hypatius. Unable to control the mob, Justinian and his officials prepared to flee. At a meeting of the government council, Theodora spoke out against leaving the palace - as the Emperor and his counsellors were still preparing their project, Theodora interrupted them and claimed:

My lords, the present occasion is too serious to allow me to follow the convention that a woman should not speak in a man’s council. Those whose interests are threatened by extreme danger should think only of the wisest course of action, not of conventions. In my opinion, flight is not the right course, even if it should bring us to safety. It is impossible for a person, having been born into this world, not to die; but for one who has reigned it is intolerable to be a fugitive. May I never be deprived of this purple robe, and may I never see the day when those who meet me do not call me empress. If you wish to save yourself, my lord, there is no difficulty. We are rich; over there is the sea, and yonder are the ships. Yet reflect for a moment whether, when you have once escaped to a place of security, you would not gladly exchange such safety for death. As for me, I agree with the adage that the royal purple is the noblest shroud.

Her determined speech convinced them, including Justinian himself. As a result, the Emperor ordered his loyal troops to attack the demonstrators in the hippodrome, killing over 30000 rebels. Despite his claims that he was unwillingly named emperor by the mob, Hypatius was also put to death. Following the Nika revolt, Justinian and Theodora rebuilt Constantinople and made it the most splendid city the world had seen for centuries, building (or rebuilding) aqueducts, bridges and churches. The greatest of these is Hagia Sophia, considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture.

Theodora was punctilious about court ceremony. According to Procopius, the Imperial couple made all senators prostrate themselves before them whenever they entered their presence, and made it clear that their relations with the civil militia were those of masters and slaves. They also carefully supervised the magistrates, possibly to reduce bureaucratic corruption.

The Empress participated in Justinian's legal and spiritual reforms, and her involvement in the increase of the rights of women was substantial. She had laws passed against forced prostitution and was known for buying girls who had been sold into prostitution, freeing them, and providing for their future, closed brothels and made pimping a criminal offense. She also created a convent called the Metanoia (Repentance), where the ex-prostitutes could support themselves. Theodora expanded the rights of women in divorce and property ownership, instituted the death penalty for rape, forbade exposure of unwanted infants, gave mothers some guardianship rights over their children, and forbade the killing of a wife who committed adultery. Procopius wrote that she was naturally inclined to assist women in misfortune.

Theodora worked against her husband's support of Chalcedonian Christianity (Christ is acknowledged in two natures, which come together into one person and one hypostasis) in the ongoing struggle for the predominance of each faction. As a result, she was accused of fostering heresy.
In spite of Justinian being Chalcedonian, Theodora founded a Miaphysite monastery in Sykae and provided shelter in the palace for Miaphysite leaders who faced opposition. When the Chalcedonian Patriarch Ephraim provoked a violent revolt in Antioch, eight Miaphysite bishops were invited to Constantinople and Theodora welcomed them.
In Egypt, when Timothy III died, Theodora enlisted the help of the Augustal Prefect and the Duke of Egypt to facilitate the enthronement of Theodosius (a Miaphysite), thereby outsmarting her husband, who wanted a Chalcedonian successor. But the now Pope Theodosius I of Alexandria could not hold his ground against Justinian's Chalcedonian followers. When he was exiled to the fortress of Delcus, in Thrace, Theodora rescued him and brought him to Hormisdas Palace, where he lived under her protection.
In Nobatae, south of Egypt, the inhabitants were converted to Miaphysite Christianity about 540. Justinian had been determined that they be converted to the Chalcedonian faith, and Theodora was equally determined that they should be Miaphysites. Justinian made arrangements for Chalcedonian missionaries to go with presents to Silko, the King of the Nobatae. But, on hearing this, Theodora prepared her own missionaries and arranged for them to arrive first. When the Chalcedonians eventually reached Silko, they were sent away for they already had adopted the Miaphysite creed.

Empress Theodora's death is recorded by Victor of Tonnena, with the cause uncertain but the Greek terms used are often translated as cancer. She died on 28 June 548, at the age of 48. The Emperor wept bitterly at her funeral. Theodora is buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles, in Constantinople.

Empress Theodora

Byzantine mosaic