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Dec 23, 2023 · United in outrage at the lack of mercy, as well as all of the long-standing unhappiness, the rival factions joined forces, their anger spilling out of the Hippodrome and into the streets, igniting a full-blown riot across Constantinople. The two lucky men were bundled out of the arena by priests and given refuge in a church, although ...
The "Nika" rebellion which erupted in Constantinople at the start of. year 532 very nearly brought Justinian's reign to an end, and in narrative of Procopius (B.P. 1 , 24), it was the empress Theodora. steadied Justinian and his court when they were on the point of flight, and.
- Early Life
- The Nika Revolt
- Attitude to The Church
- Political Intrigues
- Death
Theodora was born in c. 497 CE, the daughter of a bear-keeper called Akakios who worked for the Hippodrome of Constantinople. The 6th-century CE Byzantine historian Procopius of Caesarea states in his Secret History (Anekdota) that Theodora earned her living, like her mother before her, as an actress, which meant performing in the Hippodrome as an ...
Theodora's active role in Byzantine politics and the staunch support she gave her husband are best revealed by the incident of the Nika Revolt of 11-19 January 532 CE. This was an infamous riot caused by factions of the supporters in the Hippodrome of Constantinople. The real causes for complaint were Justinian's tax hikes (to pay for his incessant...
Theodora's religious policies seem to have been entirely her own, they were certainly not those of her husband, the leader of the Byzantine church and protector of orthodoxy. The Empress favoured Monophysitism, that is the belief that Jesus Christ had only one, divine nature (physis), which went against the orthodox view that he had two natures - o...
Theodora's political manoeuvres are blamed for the downfall of the chief minister John of Cappadocia, although he was none too popular with the Byzantine people either because he was seen as the instigator of the oppressive tax reforms which had caused the Nika Revolt. Procopius, too, paints the finance minister as a paradigm of corruption and deba...
Theodora died in 548 CE, aged just 51 or 52, probably of cancer. Justinian had no heir but, perhaps significantly, he never remarried. Theodora's daughter from before her marriage to Justinian had three sons and all of these became prominent figures in the Byzantine court. Justinian, after a period a deep mourning, would rule for another 17 years b...
- Mark Cartwright
In Theodora's day, the main issue pitting Constantinople against Alexandria had to do with Christ's nature. As the orthodox forces in Constantinople understood Jesus, he was both God and Man. In Alexandria, however, there were many ecclesiastics (and many, many more everyday Christians) who believed that Jesus had but one nature, and that a ...
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Apr 11, 2024 · In 1042 the popular movement that caused the dethronement of Michael V also led to Theodora’s installment as joint empress with her sister. After two months of active participation in government she allowed herself to be virtually superseded by Zoe’s new husband, Constantine IX .
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Nov 22, 2022 · When confronted to release the two men that were pardoned by the Emperor, Eudaemon refused, and the rioters set fire to his office complex in Constantinople. Several structures around the Hippodrome and in the cities were set ablaze, including Theodosius’ famous basilica the Hagia Sophia.
Apr 30, 2022 · This chapter deals with the aftermath of Constantine´s death: the massacre of his relatives, which took place in 337 (probably in June), and the meeting of his sons Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans in Sirmium in September 337. In the massacre, the...
