Empress Theodora of Byzantium: She Saved an Empire
Forgotten Women of History
Depiction of the Empress Theodora from a contemporary portrait mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna
The latest in the blog series is a special treat for me. I’ve long been fascinated, but a bit in the dark, about the Byzantine Empire.
But it seems few women of the early Middle Ages rose as far—or have been judged as harshly—as Empress Theodora of Byzantium. Rising from the margins of Constantinople’s theatre world to become one of the most powerful women in imperial history, Theodora’s story is one of intelligence, ambition, resilience, and reinvention. And like so many extraordinary women, she was both celebrated and vilified by her contemporaries.
Who Was Empress Theodora?
Born around 500 CE, Theodora started life far from the purple. Her father was a bear trainer for the Hippodrome’s Blue faction, and after his death, Theodora and her sisters were pushed into the theatre—an environment that in Byzantium sat somewhere between entertainment, politics, and scandal. According to the hostile historian Procopius (more on him later), Theodora’s early life involved performance, satire, and possibly sex work—though his account is so malicious that modern historians tread carefully.
What we do know is that Theodora was:
Exceptionally intelligent, known for her quick wit and sharp political instincts
Socially mobile in a rigid society, rising from performer to respected mistress of the imperial court
Deeply religious, eventually embracing Monophysite Christianity
A political partner, not merely a wife, to Emperor Justinian I
When Justinian became emperor in 527 CE, Theodora ruled alongside him as Augusta, wielding extraordinary influence—sometimes surpassing that of her husband.
The Nika Riots: A Moment That Defined an Empress
Theodora’s defining moment came in 532 CE during the Nika Riots, one of the most violent uprisings in Byzantine history. As Constantinople burned and the mob clamoured for a new emperor, Justinian considered fleeing.
Theodora famously refused.
In one of history’s most remarkable speeches, she proclaimed that “royal purple makes a fine burial shroud,” insisting that it was better to die as sovereigns than live in exile. Her resolve stiffened Justinian’s spine; together they crushed the revolt and rebuilt the city stronger than before.
It is no exaggeration to say that Theodora saved the empire. (Sound familiar? Nicola de la Haye saved England….)
A Reformer and Protector of Women
Theodora also reshaped imperial law. She advocated for:
Anti-trafficking measures that targeted forced prostitution
Stricter penalties for rape
Protections for abused wives
Expanded rights for women in divorce and property claims
Whatever her origins, she never forgot the vulnerable women of Constantinople’s streets.
Theodora in Literature: Stella Duffy’s Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore
Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore by Stella Duffy
One of the most vivid modern re-imaginings of Theodora’s life is found in Stella Duffy’s acclaimed novel Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore (2010). Duffy’s work leans into the contradictions and uncertainties surrounding Theodora’s early years, crafting a portrait that is raw, sensory, and fiercely human.
What the Novel Covers
Duffy traces Theodora’s journey from: child performer in the Hippodrome world, through a precarious adolescence shaped by exploitation, to independence, pilgrimage, and political awakening, then finally to her partnership with Justinian and rise as empress.
The novel stops before the Nika Riots, focusing instead on the making of the woman who would one day stand firm when an empire wavered.
Tone and Themes
Duffy’s tone is lyrical and immersive, bringing Constantinople’s streets, theatres, and backrooms vividly to life; unflinching, especially in depicting exploitation, desire, trauma, and ambition; feminist and character-driven, reclaiming the agency Theodora was denied by ancient male chroniclers; and richly psychological, exploring survival, reinvention, and the cost of power
Where Procopius painted Theodora as monstrous, Duffy paints her as a woman forged by hardship and sharpened by brilliance.
Why This Fiction Matters
As with Kingsley’s Hypatia, Duffy’s novel reminds us that historical fiction fills the emotional silences left by hostile or incomplete sources. For women like Theodora—described almost entirely by men who disliked her—that imaginative reconstruction is vital.
Why Theodora Still Resonates
Theodora’s story asks enduring questions:
How far can a woman rise in a society built to contain her?
Who controls a woman’s narrative—herself, her enemies, or the historians who come later?
What does leadership look like in the harshest of moments?
For readers and writers alike, Theodora stands as a reminder that history is often written by the powerful, but remembered through those who refused to be erased.
Her life—from the theatre alleys of Constantinople to the throne of the Byzantine Empire—shows just how extraordinary a “forgotten woman” can be.