Theodora: Did you mean...?

Theodora reigned as empress of the Byzantine Empire alongside her husband, Emperor Justinian I, from 527 CE until her death in 548 CE. Rising from a humble background and overcoming the prejudices of her somewhat disreputable early career...

Was Theodora I, the wife of Emperor Justinian of Byzantium (reigned 527 - 565 CE), a heroine? The historian Treadgold calls her a protectress of women, as she used her influence to help them gain rights. She is also seen in popular legend...

Theodora: Detail from the 6th-century mosaic "Empress Theodora and Her Court" in the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna.

Byzantine regent Theodora and her young son, the emperor Michael III (r. 842-867 CE). The icon, known as "The Triumph of Orthodoxy", dates to the early 15th century CE but is itself a copy of an older one which commemorates the restoration...

A 6th century CE mosaic depicting Empress Theodora and her court in the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna.

This is a basket-shaped marble capital bearing monograms of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (reigned 527-565 CE) and Empress Theodora (tenure, 527-548 CE). 6th century CE. From Bakırköy, Istanbul, in modern-day Turkey. (Museum of Archaeology...

Byzantine gold solidus, depicting co-rulers Empress Zoe and her sister Empress Theodora (r. Apr-Jun 1042 CE), from 1042 CE.

Michael III, also known as “Michael the Drunkard” by his detractors, was emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 842 to 867 CE. Never quite escaping the shadow of his mother Theodora, who ruled as regent in his name until c. 855 CE, or his uncle...

Zoe Porphyrogenita was empress of the Byzantine Empire from 1028 CE until her death in 1050 CE. In an eventful career, she reigned alongside three husbands, had a hand in the succession of her adopted son, and, in 1042 CE, she was co-ruler...

Women in the Middle Ages were frequently characterized as second-class citizens by the Church and the patriarchal aristocracy. Women's status was somewhat elevated in the High and Late Middle Ages by the cult of the Virgin Mary and courtly...