What were the blues and greens?

Blues and Greens, political factions in the Byzantine Empire in the 6th cent. They took their names from two of the four colors worn by the circus charioteers. Their clashes were intensified by religious differences. The Greens represented Monophysitism and the lower classes; the Blues, orthodoxy and the upper classes.

Was Theodora a good person?

Theodora was smart and ruthless, & in her early life a prostitute & actress. Theodora was a very commanding personality with great influence as seen in her persuading Justinian to change laws and her reaction to disloyalty when she was left effectively in control while Justinian suffered from the plague.

What difficulties did Theodora face as a woman in the man’s world of Roman politics?

There are hints that she was involved in poisoning, torture and forced marriage, and while she did a great deal to help women and girls in difficulty, she had rather less time for women of higher standing – attacking any who threatened her position, including the empress Euphemia.

Was Theodora a monophysite?

But Theodora was converted, it seems, to the Monophysite heresy shortly after the persecution began, and remained a devout Monophysite until her death and her reputation has been colored by odium theologicum. Theodora and Justinian were frequently on opposite sides of the great theological contention about the Trinity.

How were Justinian and Theodora a power couple?

Byzantium’s Power Couple Justinian and Theodora ruled the Byzantine Empire, the surviving eastern half of the Roman Empire that was based in Constantinople. Together this Byzantine power couple dominated the 6th century, bringing light, wealth, and growth to an era that we tend to mischaracterize as a dark age.

What was the role of Theodora in the Nika rebellion?

Perhaps the most significant event during Empress Theodora’s rule was the Nika revolt in which she proved herself a worthy and able leader. During this event, two rival political groups started a riot at the Hippodrome. They set many public buildings on fire and proclaimed a new emperor.

What was Theodora’s last name?

Theodora Surname User-submission: Teedra is the mispronunciation or short form of Queen Theodora, an empress of the Byzantine Empire. Queen Theodora is a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, as she was a very influential and powerful empress.

Who did Justinian beliefs come from?

Justinian was born in Tauresium, Dardania, around 482. A native speaker of Latin (possibly the last Roman emperor to be one), he came from a peasant family believed to have been of Illyro-Roman or Thraco-Roman origins. The cognomen Iustinianus, which he took later, is indicative of adoption by his uncle Justin.

What was the scene of Empress Theodora and her attendants?

The mosaic ‘ Empress Theodora and Her Attendants’ depicts empress Theodora surrounded by a host of her court ladies and attendants. This intense scene is performed in clear and simple lines that allow focussing the viewer’s attention on other visual means.

Where to find Empress Theodora and her retinue?

Empress Theodora And Retinue This Mosaic is found in the Basilica of San Vitale. It is found on the left wall of the apse and it represents Empress Theodora and her offerings to Christ. Theodora is represented as part of an Imperial court group.

Who was the father of the Empress Theodora?

Theodora. Little is known of Theodora’s early life, but a combination of the official version with that found in the highly coloured Secret History of Procopius of Caesarea probably provides the best explanation. Her father, Acacius, was a bear keeper at the Hippodrome (circus) in Constantinople.

Why did Theodora interrupt the emperor and his counsellors?

As the emperor and his counsellors were still preparing their project, Theodora reportedly interrupted them and claimed: “My lords, the present occasion is too serious to allow me to follow the convention that a woman should not speak in a man’s council.