Empress Theodora: an African at heart

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Theodora, the wife of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, lived in North Africa, in Cyrene, before she became Empress. After the reconquest of the Vandal Kingdom of Carthage by her husband, she showed great interest in this region. Several North African cities were renamed in her honor.

Origins

The future Empress Theodora was born around 495. The place of her birth is uncertain, but she grew up in Constantinople. She was from a lowly family: her father was a bear-keeper for the Greens, one of the city’s main chariot race factions, while her mother was a dancer. After her father died, her mother was forced to send Theodora and her sisters to beg at the Hippodrome during chariot races.

As a teenager, Theodora started working as an actress at the theater. At the time, this job involved erotic performances on stage, as well as sexual services off stage. According to the Byzantine historian Procopius, she played a pornographic representation during which birds were eating grain off her nude body. Procopius gives a very crude description of her sex life, and also writes that she got pregnant several times and knew how to induce an abortion. Procopius’ version is certainly exaggerated, as he was shocked that an Empress could have such a background, but there is no doubt that she was practicing prostitution.

During these years, Theodora had a daughter, from an unknown father.

First time in Africa

When Theodora was about 16 years old, her lover Hecebolus was named governor of Cyrenaica. Theodora followed him to Cyrene, where she discovered North Africa.

Their relationship didn’t last: they split up after an argument in Africa. Theodora, deprived of all means of subsistence, went to Alexandria.

According to some sources, she met Bishop Timothy III of Alexandria and had a religious conversion experience at his contact. Timothy III was a supporter of the Miaphysite doctrine, which was considered as heretical by the official Church.

Theodora then returned to Constantinople, where she gave up her career as an actress and took up a modest lifestyle, working as a wool spinner.

Theodora becomes Empress

Back in Constantinople, Theodora met Justinian, the son of Emperor Justin I. Justinian wanted to marry Theodora, but it was illegal for a man of his rank to marry an actress. Empress Euphemia was strongly opposed to their marriage. After Euphemia’s death, Justin I decreed a new law allowing former actresses to marry out of their rank with the Emperor’s permission, thus making Justinian and Theodora’s marriage possible.

The same law also applied to the children of former actresses, allowing Theodora’s daughter to marry a member of the Imperial family.

Justinian became Emperor in 527, at the death of his father. As Empress, Theodora was involved in the affairs of the Empire, advising her husband, and she had a strong influence on him. Her character is described as determined and vindictive, but also deeply loyal. She is considered as the most influential Empress in Byzantine history.

Together, Justinian and Theodora built many churches in Constantinople, including the most famous one: Hagia Sofia. Their reign was characterized by religious tensions between adherents of the official Chalcedonian doctrine and Miaphysites. While Justinian supported the official doctrine, Theodora supported the Miaphysites. However, most modern historians believe they were only pretending to be in opposition, in order to push both factions to compromise.

Theodora died in 548. Justinian reigned 15 more years after her death.

Theodora and Africa

In 533, Justinian reconquered the former Roman territories in North Africa, which had been occupied by the Vandals. Byzantine Africa became a private domain of the Emperor and his Empress.

In 539, Theodora ordered the reconstruction of Olbia (Qasr Libya), and ancient city in Cyrenaica, which had been destroyed by the Vandals. The new city was named Theodorias, in honor of its founder. A church in the city contains around fifty mosaics, considered as the most beautiful in the world.

Another African city, Cululis (Ain Jelloula), in modern-day Tunisia, was also renamed Theodoriana, in honor of Theodora.