They would rule together in a golden period of byzantine history. Theodora is perhaps the most influential and powerful woman in the byzantine empires history. Much of the information from this earliest part of her life comes from the secret history of procopius, published posthumously. Using extensive scholarship on the byzantine worldthe careers of actresses, the. Born from humble origins, theodora reigned over the byzantine empire alongside her husband from 527 until her death in 548. Holy monastery dormition of theotokos, parnitha commemorates on.
Theodora was the daughter of a bear trainer and a dancer and an actress. David potter is to be warmly congratulated on having written a book that offers a. This particular article is the 500th ever posted on this site. Women and religious life in byzantium by maryalice talbot. See more ideas about byzantine, byzantine art and ancient jewelry. Actress, empress, whore tells the story of theodora, before and after she became one of the most powerful women in the byzantine empires history. Theodora hardcover david potter oxford university press. For her restoration of the veneration of icons, which ended the byzantine iconoclasm, she is venerated as a saint in the eastern orthodox church.
It is located in the san vitale basilica in ravenna, italy. A member of the politically prominent sarantapechos. The imagery is a symmetrical abstract butterfly form, each wing stretching to the edge of the plate. Books about empress theodora more books about the byzantine empire. The empress theodora and justinian essay examples bartleby. The present one included, five books have appeared since the turn of the millennium focused on theodora, late roman empress d. Ruthlessly criticized and reviled by her contemporaries, theodora, the beautiful wife of emperor justinian, began her life as the daughter of a bearkeeper and rose to be justinians partner in politics as well as in life, ruling from 527 to 548.
The emperor who comes to the throne in527 restores the western empire to much of its former glory, reforms the legal and administrative system of his realm, and commissions churches and mosaics which emphasize the imperial dignity of christianity. Procopius in his secret history relates that theodora from an early age followed her sister komitos example and worked in a constantinople brothel serving lowstatus customers. November 15 as for the renowned empress theodora, she was from paphlagonia and was the daughter of a certain marinus, the commander of a military regiment. Actress, empress, saint women in antiquity only 2 left in stock more on the way. I decided that it was very important to have a book by a byzantine, because you get a much stronger sense of the culture and the atmosphere of byzantium by reading what an individual who lived then wrote. Like her husband, she is a saint in the orthodox church, commemorated on november 14. Theodoras plate was painted to resemble mosaic tiles. In addition to his many books, he regularly contributes to important italian publications. This majestic portrait gives no inkling of theodoras very humble beginnings or. The greatest of these is hagia sophia, considered the epitome of byzantine. Despite very humble beginnings, theodora rose to become empress of the byzantine.
The novel touches briefly on her adolescent years and how it began by the age of 5 when her mother offered up her and two other sisters as supporters to the blue faction. Her books include procopius and the sixth century, arguing it out, byzantine matters, and dialoguing in late antiquity. She was married by constantine v, ruler of the eastern empire, to his son, the future leo iv, in 769. Queens, saints, and viking slayers, from empress theodora to elizabeth of tudor. Empress theodora ancient champion of womens rights. The righteous theodora was the wife of emperor theophilus the iconoclast during the middle of the ninth century. Actress, empress, saint, david potter penetrates the highly.
Her intelligence and political acumen made her justinians most trusted adviser and enabled her to use. She was a strong iconodule who after the death of her husband overrode his iconoclastic policies to finally restore veneration of icons in the eastern roman empire. I have decided to dedicate it to theodora, empress of the byzantine empire who also happened to be born around the year 500. Theodora, empress of byzantium book by charles diehl. Theodora 497548 was a byzantine empress, wife of the emperor justinian i and the most powerful woman in byzantine history. Her intelligence and political acumen made her justinians most trusted adviser and enabled her to use the power and influence of. Actress, empress, saint by david potter, 2015 online. This summer i read theodora empress of byzantium by paolo cesaretti, a book chronicling theodoras life and accomplishments. This was in reference to the inhabitants of chalcedon who had built their city on the eastern shore of the strait. As is quite usual for the time, and especially for a woman, her exact birth date is not recorded. According to the historian tacitus, it was built on the european side of the strait of bosporus on the order of the god of delphi who said to build opposite the land of the blind.
Byzantine empress and consort of justinian i, the daughter of aracius of cypriot a bearkeeper at the hippodrome, had, according to procopius, already been an actress, dancer and courtesan when she won the heart of the ambitious justinian, she eventually became his mistress, wife and the sharer of his throne 527. Theodora was an eastern roman empress by marriage to emperor justinian. Saint theodora the empress of byzantium aged byzantine. Empress theodora is the daughter of acacius, who was a bear trainer, and to her mother, who was a dancer and singer. Theodora, in procopiuss account, made a name for herself with her salacious portrayal of leda and the swan. Critics of procopius have dismissed his work as vitriolic and pornograpic, but have been unable. Empress theodora was one of the ancientworlds strongest advocates of womens rights. Theodora, famously an actress and concubine, married the emperor justinian, and had a profound effect on the politics and laws of early byzantium. The byzantine empress theodora only a few women reached the zenith of power in the maledominated world of the byzantines. The empress theodora at the colisseum by jeanjoseph benjaminconstant c.
Theodora was born into the lowest class of byzantine society, the daughter of a bearkeeper for the circus. She became the motherinlaw to constantine vii in may or june, 919 with the marriage of the young emperor to her daughter helena lekapene. Empress of byzantium is a very comprehensive biography of empress theodora. The first book on your list, fourteen byzantine rulers by michael psellus, is an autobiographical history. In this book david potter creates a portrait of one of the most significant women.
Justinian and his officials were ready to flee, but theodora convinced them that royal purple is the noblest shroud. Their reign was the most celebrated in byzantine history, bringing wealth, prestige. Set in sixthcentury byzantium, this is a real ragstoriches story about one of the most fascinating women of antiquity. Together with her husband, theodora transformed the. The empress theodora and her courtiers depicted in a mosaic in san vitale, ravenna. The contributors use evidence from written documents and artwork to offer a picture of women in byzantine society. Theodora has always been a interesting historical figure and depending on who you ask is either a great woman of history or some one who should be ignored. Along with her husband, she is a saint in the orthodox church, commemorated on november 14 life. Saint theodora the empress of byzantium byzantine icon.
Along with her spouse, theodora is a saint in the eastern orthodox church. This book is a gripping, longoverdue biography of one of the most intriguing and powerful female figures of western history. Buy a cheap copy of theodora, empress of byzantium book by charles diehl. Their son was born just a little over a year after the marriage. The book basically covers the life of the empress theodora, as the title pretty much gives that away. She was a native of paphlagonia near the coast of the black sea and a daughter of a military officer who came from a wealthy family. Theodora, empress and her son, emperor michael iii.
I n september 2006, in a nearempty church in ravenna, in northeast italy, i. This image depicts a famous mosaic of empress theodora. Justinian took courage and according to procopius killed 30,000 rebels in the hippodrome. Hormisdas before hormisdas had entered the priesthood. With her glorification as a saint the church remembers her role in this restoration. To be an empress in byzantium was to understand where power. The ancient city of byzantium was founded by greek colonists from megara around 657 bce. Actress, empress, saint by david stone potter goodreads. Saint silverius, born, frosinone, campania italydied dec.
The daughter of a bearkeeper, theodora went on to become a mime in obscene productions, a prostitute, a mistress of wealthy patrons, and, at last, an empress. Because i did not know much about her, it was fascinating how she rose up from humble beginnings to become an empress of the byzantine empire. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel that the. She became empress upon justinians accession in 527 and was one of his chief advisers. The extended wings represent theodoras ability to expand her own role in byzantium and to create freedoms for women during her time. Two of the most famous mosaics from the ancient world, in the church of san vitale in ravenna, depict the sixthcentury emperor justinian and, on the wall facing him, his wife, theodora 497548.
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