THEODORA: The Equal Wife and Ruler

Theodora was the wife of the Roman Emperor Justinian I.  She was likely the most powerful woman in the history of the Roman Empire, and she exerted her influence and power over many people (some even say over her husband).  It is generally believed that she was the acting ruler, and her husband did little more than look like he was ruling.  To figure this out, let's look at her reign on the throne of the Byzantine (Roman) Empire a little more closely.

Theodora was of Greek descent.  No place has ever been nailed down as her definitive birthplace, so her early life is largely confusing.  What is known is that she was born in 500.  She traveled much as a child and spent time in North Africa.  However, she renounced her life of leisure and fun in order to become a wool spinner in a house near the palace.  It was here that her beauty and wit enticed the Emperor, Justinian, to ask for her hand in marriage.  At the time, his mother objected because Theodora had been an actress, and an old law forbade the marriage of royalty to actresses.  Thus, he was forced to wait until his mother died.  He then repealed the law and married Theodora.

During their reign, Theodora and Justinian outwardly shared the power of the throne.  They were a true ruling couple.  The Nika riots broke out between two rival political factions.  Everyone was scared of the implications of this, but Theodora calmed them all.  Justinian, who was contemplating running, listened to her speech with enthusiasm.  Theodora declared, "purple makes a fine shroud."  This was meant to imply that an Emperor is better fighting for his title and staying in the palace before dying than if he runs away.  This convinced Justinian to send his loyal troops out to crush the Nika riots.  Thus, Theodora proved herself a worthy and capable leader.

After the Nika riots, the couple gained a huge boost in their popularity.  They had shown resolve and proved that they were the true leaders.  In the wake of the turmoil, Theodora and Justinian went on a campaign of modernization and reformation in the capital, Constantinople.  It became the most splendid city the world had or would see for centuries with fantastic buildings such as the Hagia Sophia.  The couple were hands on managers and led the country as if they were the masters to the slaves.  This didn't effect the common man too much, but it greatly decreased the scope on the power of magistrates and other officials who did whatever they wanted in other places in the world.

In the end, Theodora saved the reign of Justinian.  She was a reformer that made the capital of the Byzantine (Roman) Empire one of the grandest cities in the world.  Not only did she do all this, but she managed to rule the Empire at the side of her husband rather than beneath him.  This led her to become the most powerful woman in Roman History!  That is her significance.

Her Wikipedia Page

Her Women's History Page

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