Search results
Apr 11, 2024 · Theodora (born c. 497 ce —died June 28, 548, Constantinople [now Istanbul, Turkey]) was a Byzantine empress, wife of the emperor Justinian I (reigned 527–565), probably the most powerful woman in Byzantine history. Her intelligence and political acumen made her Justinian’s most trusted adviser and enabled her to use the power and ...
- Theophilus
Theophilus (died January 20, 842, Constantinople) was an...
- Leo III
Leo III (born c. 675, –680, Germanicia, Commagene,...
- Theophilus
- 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
People also ask
How long did Theodora reign in the Byzantine Empire?
What role did Theodora play in Byzantine politics?
Why did Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora fight for divorce?
How did Theodora influence Justinian I?
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
Theodora (c. 500–548) Byzantine empress, known for her courage and sharp political skills, who wielded enormous power as the wife of Justinian I and strongly influenced his policies and actions during their joint rule of the world's greatest existing empire. Pronunciation: Thee-oh-DOR-ah. Co-regent of Byzantium (r. 527–548).
Dec 23, 2023 · Empress Theodora, one the most influential and powerful women in the annals of history, was born around 500 AD. Her early life was a far cry from the imperial grandeur she would later come to enjoy. Theodora's father, Acacius, worked as a bear trainer at Constantinople's Hippodrome.
Jun 14, 2021 · Empress Theodora played an influential role in quelling the Nika Revolt of 532 CE which sparked off at the Hippodrome of Constantinople | Image: Site of the Hippodrome of Constantinople in Istanbul (formerly Constantinople)
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.
