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Theodora: Portrait in a Byzantine Landscape
Theodora Portrait in a Byzantine Landscape Author:Antony Bridge THEODORA: Portrait in a Byzantine Landscape — This is a biography of the Byzantine courtesan who rose from the gutter to the throne of an Empire. It is a romantic and improbable story, and Theodora was a remarkable woman indeed. Her background and many of her actions were scandalous, but she had qualities of greatnes... more »s and this book is an attempt to put the record straight.
The account of her life is a pageant in which Emperors and barbarian kings, Popes and Patriarchs, eunuchs and generals, heretics and orthodox opponents, charioteers and ladies of easy virtue, saints and sinners move in formal and splendid rhythm. This formality was often marred by violence:one of the worst riots in Byzantine history took place when Theodora had been Empress for a short time, and during much of her reign there was war in Italy, marked by appalling suffering and barbarity. Toward the end of her reign life Constantinople was devastated by the bubonic plague. She triumphed over every adverse circumstance - tough and clever to the end.
Theodora (c. 500 – 28 June 548) was an Eastern Roman empress by marriage to emperor Justinian. She became empress upon Justinian's accession in 527 and was one of his chief advisers, albeit from humble origins. Along with her spouse, Theodora is a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church and in the Oriental Orthodox Church, commemorated on 14 November and 28 June respectively.. « less