Read Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint (Women in Antiquity)

Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint (Women in Antiquity)

David Stone Potter

4.9/5 (21606 ratings)

Description:Two of the most famous mosaics from the ancient world, in the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, depict the sixth-century emperor Justinian and, on the wall facing him, his wife, Theodora (497-548). This majestic portrait gives no inkling of Theodoras very humble beginnings or her improbable rise to fame and power. Raised in a family of circus performers near Constantinoples Hippodrome, she abandoned a successful acting career in her late teens to follow a lover whom she was legally forbidden to marry. When he left her, she was a single mother who built a new life for herself as a secret agent, in which role she met the heir to the throne. To the shock of the ruling elite, the two were married, and when Justinian assumed power in 527, they ruled the Eastern Roman Empire together. Their reign was the most celebrated in Byzantine history, bringing wealth, prestige, and even Rome itself back to the Empire. Theodora was one of the dominant political figures of her era, helping shape imperial foreign and domestic policy and twice saving her husband from threatened deposition. She played a central role trying to solve the religious disputes of her era and proactively assisted women who were being trafficked. An extraordinarily able politician, she excited admiration and hatred from those around her. Enemies wrote extensively and imaginatively about her presumed early career as a prostitute, while supporters elevated her, quite literally, to sainthood. Theodoras is a tale of a woman of exceptional talent who overcame immense obstacles to achieve incredible power, which she exercised without ever forgetting where she had come from. In Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint, David Potter penetrates the highly biased accounts of her found in the writings of her contemporaries and takes advantage of the latest research on early Byzantium to craft a modern, well-rounded, and engaging narrative of Theodoras life. This fascinating portrait will intrigue all readers with an interest in ancient and womens history.We have made it easy for you to find a PDF Ebooks without any digging. And by having access to our ebooks online or by storing it on your computer, you have convenient answers with Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint (Women in Antiquity). To get started finding Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint (Women in Antiquity), you are right to find our website which has a comprehensive collection of manuals listed.
Our library is the biggest of these that have literally hundreds of thousands of different products represented.

Pages: —

Format: PDF, EPUB & Kindle Edition

Publisher: —

Release: —

ISBN: 0199392536

Description: Two of the most famous mosaics from the ancient world, in the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, depict the sixth-century emperor Justinian and, on the wall facing him, his wife, Theodora (497-548). This majestic portrait gives no inkling of Theodoras very humble beginnings or her improbable rise to fame and power. Raised in a family of circus performers near Constantinoples Hippodrome, she abandoned a successful acting career in her late teens to follow a lover whom she was legally forbidden to marry. When he left her, she was a single mother who built a new life for herself as a secret agent, in which role she met the heir to the throne. To the shock of the ruling elite, the two were married, and when Justinian assumed power in 527, they ruled the Eastern Roman Empire together. Their reign was the most celebrated in Byzantine history, bringing wealth, prestige, and even Rome itself back to the Empire. Theodora was one of the dominant political figures of her era, helping shape imperial foreign and domestic policy and twice saving her husband from threatened deposition. She played a central role trying to solve the religious disputes of her era and proactively assisted women who were being trafficked. An extraordinarily able politician, she excited admiration and hatred from those around her. Enemies wrote extensively and imaginatively about her presumed early career as a prostitute, while supporters elevated her, quite literally, to sainthood. Theodoras is a tale of a woman of exceptional talent who overcame immense obstacles to achieve incredible power, which she exercised without ever forgetting where she had come from. In Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint, David Potter penetrates the highly biased accounts of her found in the writings of her contemporaries and takes advantage of the latest research on early Byzantium to craft a modern, well-rounded, and engaging narrative of Theodoras life. This fascinating portrait will intrigue all readers with an interest in ancient and womens history.We have made it easy for you to find a PDF Ebooks without any digging. And by having access to our ebooks online or by storing it on your computer, you have convenient answers with Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint (Women in Antiquity). To get started finding Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint (Women in Antiquity), you are right to find our website which has a comprehensive collection of manuals listed.
Our library is the biggest of these that have literally hundreds of thousands of different products represented.

Special Offer | $0.00

Special Offer! | $0.00

Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint (Women in Antiquity)

Theodora: Actress, Empress, Saint (Women in Antiquity)

More Books

Master of Rome: A Life of Julius Caesar

Master of Rome: A Life of Julius Caesar

The Origin of Empire: Rome from the Republic to Hadrian

The Origin of Empire: Rome from the Republic to Hadrian

Constantine the Emperor

Constantine the Emperor

Emperors of Rome: The Story of Imperial Rome from Julius Caesar to the Last Emperor

Emperors of Rome: The Story of Imperial Rome from Julius Caesar to the Last Emperor

The Roman Empire at Bay: AD 180-395

The Roman Empire at Bay: AD 180-395

Ancient Rome: A New History

Ancient Rome: A New History

A Companion to the Roman Empire

A Companion to the Roman Empire

The Victor's Crown: Greek & Roman Sport from Homer to Byzantium

The Victor's Crown: Greek & Roman Sport from Homer to Byzantium

Life, Death, and Entertainment in the Roman Empire

Life, Death, and Entertainment in the Roman Empire