#antonina

The fall of John of Cappadocia and the dismissal of Pope Silverius

And some John the Cappadocian doodles

Empress Theodora

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 as an actress, Theodora would marry Justinian (r. 527-565 CE) in 525 CE and they would rule together in a golden period of Byzantine history. Portrayed by contemporary writers as scheming, unprincipled, and immoral, the Empress, nevertheless, was also seen as a valuable support to the Emperor, and her direct involvement in state affairs made her one of the most powerful women ever seen in Byzantium.

Early Life

Theodora was born in c. 497 CE, the daughter of a bear-keeper called Akakios who worked for the Hippodrome of Constantinople. The 6th-century CE Byzantine historian Procopius of Caesarea states in his Secret History (Anekdota) that Theodora earned her living, like her mother before her, as an actress, which meant performing in the Hippodrome as an acrobat, dancer, and stripper. Theodora was said to have had one particularly lurid routine involving geese. By implication, considering the common association of the two professions at the time, she was also a courtesan. Procopius would have us believe an especially popular and lustful one, at that.

Procopius' Secret History, is, though, regarded by many as an outrageous gossip piece with a few facts thrown in for authenticity. The writer's attitude to both Justinian and Theodora is plainly that they were the worst thing ever to happen to the Byzantine Empire (in contrast to the official works he wrote under Justinian's patronage which are suitably laudatory of the emperor's achievements in war and architecture especially). Procopius also had it in for Antonina, the wife of Belisarius (Justinian's most talented general), and she is portrayed as constantly scheming with Theodora to create damaging palace intrigues. It is perhaps important to consider, too, that our knowledge of Theodora only comes from male authors and a woman performing any other role than the traditionally submissive one in Byzantine society was bound to be, at best, disapproved of and, at worst, outright demonised.

Before she married Justinian, the nephew of Emperor Justin (r. 518-527 CE), in 525 CE, Theodora left the sands of the Hippodrome to travel to North Africa as the mistress of a medium-level civil servant. After the relationship broke up, she made her way back home via Alexandria where she may have converted to Christianity.

The marriage between such a lowly figure as Theodora and a future emperor was an odd rags-to-riches one, but there was a tradition in the Byzantine court for emperors to marry the winners of beauty contests organised for that purpose. The entrants to such contests could come from lower classes and from far away provinces so such mismatches were not unheard of. The lowly status of Theodora was not ignored by everyone, and one particularly passionate opponent was Empress Lupicina Euphemia, indeed, her death seems to have removed the foremost obstacle to the marriage. Justin I even went so far as to amend the laws (senators, which Justinian was, could not marry actresses) in order to permit the marriage and to legitimise Theodora's illegitimate daughter. Procopius also claims there was an illegitimate son, too, but no other sources substantiate this.

The Empress, 20 years younger than her husband, is described by Procopius as being short but attractive, a stickler for court ceremony, and a lover of luxury. Theodora was crowned as empress in the same coronation ceremony as her husband on 1 April 527 CE. Justinian had insisted his wife be crowned as his equal and not as his consort. The pair also matched each other in intelligence, ambition, and energy, and with their lavish coronation in the Hagia Sophia, they seemed to herald a new era for the Byzantine Empire and its people.

Antonina: a powerful woman in the sixth-century Roman world

"Antonina was the most powerful uncrowned woman in the sixth-century Roman world. She deposed Pope Silverius, arranged for the sacking of John the Cappadocian, traveled across the Mediterranean with her husband, and even occasionally inserted herself into the running of his army. She knew soldiers, officers, the emperor, popes, bishops, and historians, and at various times commanded them, pleaded with them, and intimidated them. This is a remarkable resume, virtually unparalleled among Roman military wives, and certainly without parallel in the sixth century. She was a formidable woman and, like her friend and patron Theodora, one who was occasionally feared. If the reputation of Belisarius is sometimes inflated in modern evaluations, the reputation of Antonina has been chronically underappreciated. Historians have focused far too much on the Secret History story of Antonina’s affair and her supposed domination of Belisarius, and far too little on her exceptional career. She is evidence that elite women in the sixth century could take on public roles alongside their husbands. This is a subject crying for more research, to determine whether Antonina was sui generis or is just one example of a trend of powerful elite women in this period."

Julia Drusilla stormed in the room passing through her two cousins Antonia. And she quickly put herself in between Vipsania, holding the little baby, and Agrippa. Aunt Octavia was also there, by the door. All were protecting the children and trying to calm him down to no avail.

His nostrils flared, his face red with fury but the gesture... His brows were up, his eyes on the verge of crying. It didn't take Drusilla a lot of effort to take her eyes from the sword he was carrying, but she shouldn't forget about it either.

"Agrippa. They are yours. The children are yours. My sister swears it. She cannot lie to me. I can always tell. Since I was three." Drusilla had her arms up, showing she had nothing to keep from him, nothing to hide. Never. Not from him. "Agrippina, she's the spitting image of my sister, but her smile is yours; just like yours when you chuckle. And Gaius, he speaks as loud as you. His manners, forgotten when someone tries to get in his way." Someone else might have advised her against saying that. But Drusilla knew Agrippa would have found it funny in a normal situation. Made him proud, even. So she hoped it would now bring back that side of him. Now she only needed to say something about the runt of the litter. The one suffering his father's imminent wrath. But he was just born a few weeks ago... What could be so characteristic about a newborn? Think, Drusilla, think. "And Lucius, he's just been born and he already has so much strength! What a soldier he will make. Just like you. Better!" She remembered when he took her finger, he grabbed it like it was the end of the world. They were his world.

Agrippa continued struggling with himself but he gave up. He threw the sword and threw himself to the ground.

"Go, Vipsania, go!" She hushed her sister-in-law out with the newborn. The Antonias did the same with the other two children.

Drusilla kneeled beside him and put a hand on his arm but he flinched. He had never recoiled from her touch. But Agrippa didn't see her. He was in his own world.

"Come here, sweet one." Aunt Octavia wrapped her arms around Drusilla and took her away as well.

Aunt and niece sat down at the atrium and it took Octavia a while before she found the words to speak. The scene had left all the women in shock.

"That time at Baiae, your mind was elsewhere. You blushed but you wouldn't speak of it. You lied when you said you loved that boy, didn't you?" Her eyes were tired but tears were about to run through her cheeks. "Even now you won't speak of it. My sweet child. It was Agrippa all this time."

The moment she spoke the words Drusilla quickly stood up, turning her back on Octavia and started playing with her tunic like a child. She might have just accepted the truth she was presented with for her stance demonstrated it anyway.

"Yes. I do. But it cannot be."

As she was unable to face her, Octavia went to her. But she said nothing else, only gave her the warmest hug Drusilla had ever known.

***