Pope Theodosius I of Alexandria, even with the help of imperial troops, could not hold his ground in Alexandria against Justinian's Chalcedonian followers and he was exiled by Justinian along with 300 Miaphysites into the fortress of Delcus in Thrace. Most known for being the wife of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I (482 CE - 565 CE), Empress Theodora was arguably the most powerful woman in the history of the Byzantine Empire, as she was able to use her immense influence to advocate a number of social and religious reforms across the empire.The Empress' immaculate presence and political prowess made her a reliable figure and trusted . San Vitale basilica, Byzantine mosaic depicting Empress Theodora (6th century) flanked by a chaplain and a court lady believed to be her confidante Antonina, wife of general Belisarius Her influence over her husband was great; Procopius features her as dominating Belisarius. Indeed, the Empress is credited with the promotion of, and ultimately achieving the adoption of, Monophysitism in Nubia around 540 CE. Her cloak is embroidered with imagery of the three kings bearing their gifts for the Christ child, symbolizing a connection with her and Justinian bringing gifts to the church. Dress Styles in the Mosaics of San Vitale The government officials had sunk into a slavish condition, and she was their slave-instructor. Michael the Syrian, the Chronicle of 1234 and Bar-Hebraeus place her origin in the city of Daman, near Kallinikos, Syria. Definition. [41] Theophanes the Confessor mentions some familial relations of Theodora to figures not mentioned by Procopius. He might have been a great general, perhaps Byzantium's greatest, but his success only aroused the suspicions of the empress, who may well have coloured her husband's dealings with his foremost commander, which resulted in a lack of material support in the field of battle when needed. Theodora herself, and her square nimbus means that she had the privilege of seeing the with her own eyes the finished chapel built in her honour . Procopius, too, paints the finance minister as a paradigm of corruption and debauchery. When the Chalcedonian Patriarch Ephraim provoked a violent revolt in Antioch, eight Miaphysite bishops were invited to Constantinople and Theodora welcomed them and housed them in the Hormisdas Palace adjoining the Great Palace, which had been Justinian and Theodora's own dwelling before they became Emperor and Empress. [25], Despite his claims that he was unwillingly named emperor by the mob, Hypatius was also put to death by Justinian. The emperor's robe is of Tyrian purple. As for me, I agree with the adage, that "royal purple" is the noblest shroud. {"@context":"https://schema.org","@id":"https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4503/empress-theodora--her-court/#imageobject","@type":"ImageObject","acquireLicensePage":"https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4503/empress-theodora--her-court/","caption":"A 6th century CE mosaic depicting Empress Theodora and her court in the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. Byzantine Mosaics - 255 artworks - mosaic - WikiArt.org Her contemporary John of Ephesus writes about Theodora in his Lives of the Eastern Saints and mentions an illegitimate daughter. Other reports claimed greater numbers of victims as the distance from Constantinople increased; the scholar and historian Zachariah of Mytilene estimated the dead at more than eighty thousand. The city was sacked in the 13th century and many notable buildings damaged. published on 19 April 2018 Listen to this article Available in other languages: French, Spanish Byzantine Empress Zoe Myrabella (Public Domain) Zoe Porphyrogenita was empress of the Byzantine Empire from 1028 CE until her death in 1050 CE. Theodora died in 548 at the age of 48, possibly or cancer of gangrene. On the other hand, chronicler John Malalas who wrote positively about the court, declared she "freed the girls from the yoke of their wretched slavery. Mosaics were one of the most popular forms of art in the Byzantine Empire. The Justinian and Theodora Mosaics | Sharksavewriters Last modified April 03, 2018. After her conversion, Theodora travelled to Constantinople where she met Justinian, who was 20 years her senior. Cartwright, Mark. A more likely portrait is at Santa Sophia from 532 CE where Justinian donates the church to Christ. Empress Theodora & Her CourtCarole Raddato (CC BY-SA) This is also why he includes her speech during the Nika insurrection where she interferes with the actions of the men as they contemplate escaping the rioters. Later, he wrote the Secret History. Procopius also claims there was an illegitimate son, too, but no other sources substantiate this. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. No games were held in the Hippodrome for several years after the crisis, but one happy consequence of the whole destructive episode was the required rebuilding programme which resulted in the construction of the present version of the Hagia Sophia church. When Pope Silverius refused Theodora's demand that he remove the anathema of Pope Agapetus I from Patriarch Anthimus, she sent Belisarius instructions to find a pretext to remove Silverius. Those who remained were left to deal with the aggressive taxation and other wealth capture schemes that John the Cappadocian hatched to continue funding Justinian and Theodora's aggressive rebuilding plans.[28]. Besides these darker tales of personal vendettas and cronyism, Theodora was noted for her influence on Justinian's social reforms and her charitable work, sponsoring the foundation of many institutions for the poor such as orphanages, hospitals, and (perhaps significantly given her former profession) a home for former prostitutes seeking to reenter respectable society. Theodora ( / idr /; Greek: ; c. 500 - 28 June 548) [1] was a Byzantine empress through her marriage to emperor Justinian. [19], Two major party factions were at odds before, during, and after Justinian and Theodora's reign the Blues and the Greens. ","contentUrl":"https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/3341.jpg","copyrightNotice":"Sponsored by a Greek banker, Julius Argentarius - CC BY-NC-SA - This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. The famed imperial mosaics in the church of San Vitale in Ravenna depict the sixth-century Byzantine empress Theodora across from her husband, the emperor Justinian, with whom she reigned from 527 until her death in 548. Who Was Empress Theodora? - TheCollector Nevertheless Byzantium survived until the Ottomans took Constantinople in 1453. She is also wearing a great deal of jewellery with necklaces, earrings, and a fabulous gem-studded crown, and a Tyrian purple robe. Accession Number: 25.100.2a-e. The mosaic art of the Byzantine Empire exerted a significant influence on the Muslim art during the Omayyad and Abbasid caliphate and later in the time of Ottoman Empire. Aqueducts, bridges and churches were built and rebuilt the greatest of them was the Hagia Sophia, considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and one of the worlds greatest architectural wonders. Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! References. 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 - one human and one divine. The Byzantine Empire existed from 330 to 1453. In his famous account of Theodora, itself based on the Secret History, Edward Gibbon wrote: Her venal charms were abandoned to a promiscuous crowd of citizens and strangers of every rank, and of every position; the fortunate lover who had been promised a night of enjoyment, was often driven from her bed by a stronger or more wealthy favourite; and when she passed through the streets, her presence was avoided by all who wished to escape either the scandal or the temptation.[9]. When Theodora was four, her mother brought her children wearing garlands into the Hippodrome and presented them as suppliants to the Green faction, but they rebuffed her efforts. Emperor Justinian. A Tudor Discovery Thomas Cromwells Prayer Book, Queen Zenobia of Palmyra: How One Woman Stood Against Two Empires, Robert Lawrence: The First African-American Astronaut, How Gaius Marius Saved Rome From the Cimbri. 66 I n September 2006, in a near-empty church in Ravenna, in north-east Italy, I found myself in front of a vibrant, 1,500-year-old mosaic of a woman in purple. The marriage between such a lowly figure as Theodora and a future emperor was an odd rags-to-riches one, but there was a tradition in the Byzantine court for emperors to marry the winners of beauty contests organised for that purpose. ","contentUrl":"https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/4503.jpg","copyrightNotice":"Carole Raddato - CC BY-SA - This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon a work even for commercial reasons, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. Justinian I was the emperor of the Byzantine empire from 527 to 565 C.E. 545-549 CE - Imperial Mosaics of the Basilica of San Vitale [36] Her body was buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople. In spite of this period of diminished wealth and stability, the arts continued to flourish in the Late Byzantine period, much as it had before. During this time, she may have met the future wife of Belisarius, Antonina, who would later become a part of the women's court led by Theodora. According to Secret History, she attempted to marry her grandson Anastasius to Joannina, Belisarius' and Antonina's daughter and heiress, against her parents' will, which was rejected at first yet the couple would eventually marry. Their goals and projects, whether it be building new churches and public buildings or raising troops for expansive military campaigns, would require a large amount of funding. Empress and emperor appear at the center of each scene, larger than the other figures to show their . Constantinople was the richest repository of Byzantine mosaics throughout the Empires history. She gave reception and sent letters and gifts to Persian and foreign ambassadors and the sister of Khosrow I. How Roman Legionaries Acquired Their Iconic Armour, Historical Trips - Book your next historical adventure. [50] This may also explain why Procopius in his writings is significantly different in his characterization of day-to-day life compared to the accounts of other contemporary authors. When Justinian succeeded to the throne in 527, two years after the marriage, Theodora was crowned augusta and became empress of the Eastern Roman Empire. Theodoras background meant she was not legally allowed to marry Justinian. Mosaics were initially used to depict religious figures such as Christ as well as different scenes from the Bible.The Emperor Constantine adopted Christianity and in 330 moved . Procopius was a member of the staff of Belisarius, a field marshal for Justinian, who is perhaps the best-known officer of Justinian's officers largely because of Procopius's writings. Theodoras daughter (from before her marriage to Justinian) would go on to have three sons, all of who became prominent figures in Byzantine politics. Afterwards Justinian ordered his loyal troops, led by the officers, Belisarius and Mundus, to attack the demonstrators in the Hippodrome, killing over 30,000 civilian rebels. Theodora (497-548) was a Byzantine empress, wife of the emperor Justinian I and the most powerful woman in Byzantine history. [5] Her father, Acacius, was a bear trainer of the hippodrome's Green faction in Constantinople. He saw to it that the Chalcedonian missionaries were delayed and when they eventually reached Silko, they were sent away. Byzantine Art as Propaganda: Justinian and Theodora at Ravenna - Brewminate He sought a united Church that would partner with the one Emperor (himself). His vision was straightforward there could be no Roman Empire that didn't include Rome within its control. 10 of the Best Historic Sites in Washington D.C. Off stage, Theodora was said to have had numerous lovers and held wild parties. [32], Procopius describes Theodora's as causing women to "become morally depraved" due to her and Justinian's legal actions. [13] Procopius' Secret History maintained that instead of preventing forced prostitution (as in Buildings 1.9.3ff), Theodora is said to have 'rounded up' 500 prostitutes, confining them to a convent. Cartwright, M. (2018, April 03). Guide To The Mosaics Of Ravenna, Italy's Byzantium Facing opposite one another in the apse of the church, each mosaic depicts the main figure bedecked in finery and accompanied by a retinue. She was born into the Macedonian dynasty that ruled the Eastern Roman Empire for almost 200 years.. Theodora was the youngest daughter of Emperor . 547 A.D.). Byzantine art comprises the body of Christian Greek artistic products of the Eastern Roman Empire, as well as the nations and states that inherited culturally from the empire. In addition to the religious tone of these mosaics, other mosaics depict Theodora and Justinian receiving the vanquished kings of the Goths and Vandals as prisoners of war, surrounded by the cheering Roman Senate. She is depicted in full imperial garb, endowed with jewels befitting her role as empress. The mosaics glorify the imperial autocracy because, at this time, Justinian was expanding the Byzantine empire throughout the Mediterranean and had conquered the . Procopius would have us believe an especially popular and lustful one, at that. (It was a common event that ancient cities renamed themselves to honor an Emperor or Empress.) Grau, Sergi; Febrer, Oriol (2020-08-01). "[31], Justinian and Theodora's legislations also 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. Rising from a humble background and overcoming the prejudices of her somewhat disreputable early career as an actress, Theodora would marry Justinian (r. 527-565 CE) in 525 CE and they would rule . She had a halo, her own courtiers,. View on Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey. Image credit: Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons, Image Credit: Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons. While other writers describe the daily theological battles between the different Christian sects and the efforts of the government to align and subdue them, Procopius remains almost silent on these topics. The date was 28 June 548 at the age of 48,[36] although other sources report that she died at 51. They were sentenced to death but two of the felons, one Blue and one Green, survived the hanging when the scaffold collapsed. During Justinians rule, Italy came under the Byzantine rule and Justinian made the city of Ravenna his administrative centre. HH. The riot had become a full-scale rebellion and Hypatios, the general and nephew of Anastasius I (r. 491-518 CE), was crowned in the Hippodrome as the new emperor by the rioters. John was thus banished from court in 541 CE. [21], The rioters set many public buildings on fire, and proclaimed a new emperor, Hypatius, the nephew of former emperor Anastasius I. Feminine behavior in the sixth century would be described as intriguing, interfering, and the like according to researcher Averil Cameron. Empress Theodora's place setting uses Byzantine iconography and mosaics to convey her important role in building the Byzantine Empire. Changing the term "tyranny" to "royal purple", possibly reflecting Procopius' desire to link Theodora and Justinian to ancient tyrants. Due to being the only Christian Emperor and Empress, they believed it was their role to duplicate the heavenly structure on Earth. [47] At his core, he was a preserver of the social order. Byzantine mosaics are mostly made of glass, stone, ceramic, and tesserae. When one of the accusations is ruled as unsubstantiated, Procopius writes that the entire city celebrated. Much of Theodora's early life is unknown. [53], Saint Mathurin exorcising the Empress Theodora, Abbey Saint-Ouen in Rouen, Depiction from a contemporary portrait mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, Empress Theodora and attendants (mosaic from. Theodora Porphyrogenita - Wikipedia World History Encyclopedia. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Brothels, Baths and Babes: Prostitution in the Byzantine Holy Land", "Discussion:: Last Statues of Antiquity", "Procopius on Theodora: ancient and new biographical patterns", "Empresses in Byzantine Society: Justifiably Angry or Simply Angry? Her mother, whose name is not recorded, was a dancer and an actress. World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. "Empress Theodora." They were treated like servants and kept waiting in a small, stuffy room for an endless time. [46], The definition of feminine behavior in the sixth century as used by Procopius is not the way in which modern writers would use it. But consider first whether, when you reach safety, you will not regret that you did not choose death in preference. At the time, much of what was called acting would have involved sexual or indecent performances on stage. The imperial cause was greatly helped by the gifted generals Belisarius and Mundus, who ruthlessly quashed the revolt by slaughtering 30,000 of the perpetrators inside the Hippodrome. [39] The historian offered three different portrayals of the Empress. 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 from the majority of Chalcedonian Christians, like Severus and Anthimus. Her death had a visible impact on Justinian, who never remarried. She worked for womens marriage and dowry rights, championed anti-rape legislation, and was supportive of young girls who had been sold into sexual slavery. The pair also matched each other in intelligence, ambition, and energy, and with their lavish coronation in the Hagia Sophia, they seemed to herald a new era for the Byzantine Empire and its people. Justinian, after a period a deep mourning, would rule for another 17 years but he never seemed quite so focused or as brilliant as when he had had Theodora by his side. First, Theodora is quoted in a letter to the Persian ambassador declaring that Emperor Justinian would do nothing without her consent. [citation needed], They also supervised the magistrates to reduce bureaucratic corruption. [14] Shortly thereafter, Justinian married Theodora. The mosaic tile in Empress Theodora's plate recalls the most well recognized image of Theodorathe mosaic from the apse in the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. [15] According to Procopius, when Theodora learned of John's arrival and claims, she secretly had him sent away to an unknown location, and he was never heard from again. Monophysite Christianity held that Jesus Christs nature was purely divine, whereas orthodox Christianity believed that Jesus nature was both human and divine. They sought to escape 'the unwelcome transformation' by leaping over the walls (SH 17). They would rule together in a golden period of Byzantine history. These include the mosaics in Church of San Vitale, and the Basilica of Sant-Apollinare. Title: Empress Theodora and Members of Her Court. 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. In Egypt, when Timothy III died, Theodora enlisted the help of Dioscoros, the Augustal Prefect, and Aristomachos the duke of Egypt, to facilitate the enthronement of a disciple of Severus, Theodosius, thereby outmaneuvering her husband, who had intended a Chalcedonian successor. Empress Theodora, rhetoric, and Byzantine primary sources - Smarthistory Theodora would have been as most actresses were a child prostitute. On this day, the pure and holy mother Theodora, departed. If you, my Lord, wish to save your skin, you will have no difficulty in doing so. Nor were her views merely theoretical ponderings, for Theodora acted upon them and protected and housed priests and monks who adhered to monophysite beliefs, even using the Great Palace of Constantinople to do so. John was dismissed after the revolt as one of the demands of the rioters but he later made a political comeback. [13] Procopius alleges that Theodora was badly mistreated by Hecebolus, and that their relationship dissolved after a quarrel some time after their arrival in Africa. If you wish to save yourself, my lord, there is no difficulty. Justinian sought to marry Theodora, though he was prevented from doing so by a Roman law from Constantine's time that barred anyone of senatorial rank from marrying actresses. They left an impressive trail of destruction wherever they marched, burning down the Church of Hagia Sophia, the Church of Saint Irene, the baths of Zeuxippus, the Chalke gate, and a good portion of the Augustaion forum including, significantly, the Senate House.
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