The Empress Theodora: Partner of Justinian [Hardcover]

James A. Evans (Author), J. A. S. Evans (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2002

Even by modern standards, the Empress Theodora (?-548) had a remarkable rise to power. Born into the lowest class of Byzantine society, she worked as an actress in burlesque theatre. Yet she attracted the love of the future emperor Justinian, who, to the astonishment of proper society, made her not only his wife but also his partner in government. Justinian's respect for and trust in Theodora gave her power in her own right unmatched by almost any other Roman or Byzantine empress. In this book, James Allan Evans provides a scholarly, yet highly accessible account of the life and times of the Empress Theodora. He follows her from her childhood as a Hippodrome bearkeeper's daughter to her imperial roles as Justinian's most trusted counsellor and as an effective and powerful advocate for the downtrodden. In particular, he focuses on the ways in which Theodora worked to improve the lives of women. He also explores the pivotal role Theodora played in the great religious controversy of her time, involving a breach between sects in the Christian church.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There is no other book that gives Theodora as extensive or as penetrating treatment as this one... The task is worthwhile, because Theodora is a figure of historical importance and great interest and perhaps the only Byzantine woman about whom the sources say enough to make even a short book feasible." Warren Treadgold, author of A Concise History of Byzantium "... Theodora makes a fascinating study, both for what she can tell us about the sixth century, and the role of women in the Roman Empire... the book does achieve what it sets out to do, providing an accessible study of Theodora's role in the imperial court... "-Journal of Roman Studies, 93 2003 "[Evans's] book is informative and entertaining. He writes with clarity and lucidity, virtues which are particularly evident in his acount of the theological disputes of the age. He has successfully set before us the woman "whose strange elevation" as Gibbon puts it, "cannot be applauded as the triumph of female virtue"." - Les Etudes Classiques, 71,3, July-Sept 2003

Review

There is no other book that gives Theodora as extensive or as penetrating treatment as this one. . . . The task is worthwhile, because Theodora is a figure of historical importance and great interest and perhaps the only Byzantine woman about whom the sources say enough to make even a short book feasible. (Warren Treadgold, author of A Concise History of Byzantium ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 172 pages
• Publisher: University of Texas Press; 1 edition (August 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0292721056
• ISBN-13: 978-0292721050
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,215,516 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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