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Theodora was the wife on the emperor Justinian I (reigned 257-565)
Theodora's courage saved Justinian's reign during the Nika riots in Constantinople in which many public buildings and some churches were set on fire, and a new emperor was proclaimed. Justinian and his officials prepared to flee. Theodora spoke out against this saying that it was better to die an emperor fighting to retain the throne than to run away and live as an exile. She convinced Justinian and the officials, Justinian ordered his loyal troops to attack the demonstrators in the hippodrome. According to Procopius over 30,000 rebels were killed.
Theodora participated in Justinian's legal and spiritual reforms. She became a champion of women's rights by banning forced prostitution, closing brothels, creating a convent which was a refuge for ex-prostitutes, instituting the death penalty for rape, improving the property rights of women and their rights in divorce, giving women the right of guardianship over their children and forbidding the killing of adulterous wives.
Theodora disagreed with her husband on religious matters. Whilst he supported mainstream Christianity, she supported the Miaphysite dissident doctrine. She founded a monastery which was a shelter for the leaders of this sect who were excommunicated or exiled. She outmanoeuvred her husband and had a Miaphysite enthroned as the Patriarch of Alexandria and Coptic Pope (Justinian had him exiled later. Theodora was accused of supporting heresy and thus undermined the unity of Christianity.
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Theodora contributed to byzantine law by?
Theodora established laws raising the status in women in Byzantine law
How many years was theodora empress?
Theodora was empress for so many years i think it was for at least 8 years
Why Theodora important?
Empress Theodora was the wife of Justinian I of the Byzantine Empire. Arguably the most influential woman in Byzantine history she is, like her husband, considered a Saint by the Orthodox church and commemorated on Nov 14. A full discussion of her life and works would be beyond the scope of this forum
Were there any queens in ancient Greece?
From myth:Eurydice was queen of Argon and grandmother to Perseus. Jocasta was queen of Thebes and both mother and wife of Oedipus. Medea was queen of Corinth and wife of Jason (although he later said she wasn't).From history:Olympia was queen of Macedon and the mother of Alexandra the Great. There were several Cleopatras who were queens of Egypt during the post-Alexandrian era. Gorgo was the queen of Sparta and wife of Leonides (from 300).These are of course only a few.
