Theodora

Theodora (Greek: Θεοδώρα; c. 490/500 – 28 June 548) was the wife of emperor Justinian I and Eastern Roman empress from 527 until her death. Theodora was one of Justinian's chief political advisers. She is recognized as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches, and commemorated on 14 November.

Theodora was born in Constantinople, where her father was a bear keeper for the circus. Her father unfortunately passed away, which resulted in Theodora, her mother and her two sisters to look for new jobs, and based on translates we can suspect that she was either working in a brothel or in the theatre. She likely met Justinian sometime before 524. They subsequently married and Theodora was crowned empress when Justinian became emperor in 527. She proved an able advisor and empress. She played a crucial role in the suppression of the Nika riots in 532. Theodora and Justinian ordered construction of many grand public works, including the Hagia Sophia. Procopius was unclear in his writing as in the Secret History, he wrote that she picked up more than 500 harlots and sent them to Repentance. Whereas in On Buildings, he wrote that they banished the very-name of borthel-keepers and set free the women. She engaged in court intrigues, such as the exile of John the Cappadocian, and the exile and death of Pope Silverius and the elevation of Pope Vigilius. She and her husband supported opposite sides in the Chalcedonian schism between Christian Monophysites/Miaphysites and Chalcedonian Christianity, which led Justinian to be occasionally merciful to the Miaphysites despite being a Chalcedonian himself.

She died of cancer in 548. Much of the primary narrative of her life comes from the works of Procopius, who presents starkly diverging views in his public and private writings. Publicly, he wrote glowingly of her, but his Secret Histories portrays her as shameless, cruel and lustful, though loyal. Historians are divided as to the accuracy of Procopius's portrayals. Nevertheless, Theodora achieved lasting cultural interest, inspiring art, plays, operas, films, novels, and worship.