THEODORA, EMPRESS

THEODORA, EMPRESS (ca. 497–548). Wife of the Emperor Justinian (q.v.), her early life as an actress in Alexandria was the subject of the scurrilous portrait by the historian, Procopius of Gaza, in the latter’s spiteful Secret History. In spite of this witness, Theodora appears to have been a woman of strong character and powerful religious convictions. She strengthened her husband at the time of the Nika riots in 532, and, perhaps with his agreement, continued to support the “monophysite” (q.v.) movement throughout her reign of twenty-three years. Certainly, the hierarchy of the Oriental Orthodox (q.v.), in particular James Baradeus the founder of the Jacobite (q.v.) church, owes its existence in great part to her patronage.