Even today, it is unusual to find a woman at the highest levels of political power. Surely nothing about Theodora, who lived from about 497-548, predicted she would achieve this type of power. Theodora came from the fifth-century equivalent of a show-business background. Yet her intelligence, political instincts, and beauty won her not only noble status and marriage with the Byzantine emperor Justinian, but also the title of empress (Augusta). Her contemporaries spread some truly disgusting stories about her sexuality. Perhaps they disliked the notion of a woman advising the emperor, participating in diplomacy, putting down a civic revolt, and patronizing charitable organizations; throughout history, men have often viewed such women as threats. But Theodora's often decisive influence persisted until her death.

1. The most famous depictions of Justinian and Theodora, of which the mosaic is a small part, are in the church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. The following websites show and analyze these mosaics.
   http://womenshistory.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.stockton.edu/%7Efergusoc/lesson4/jump6.htm
   http://www2.students.sbc.edu/pegues00/seniorseminar/vitalemosaics.html
2. One of the greatest buildings in the world is the church of Hagia Sophia, built in Constantinople under Justinian and Theodora, later transformed into a mosque, and now a museum. Take a virtual tour at
   http://www.patriarchate.org/ecumenical_patriarchate/chapter_4/html/hagia_sophia.html
3. An excellent website with many links to Byzantine history at the time of Theodora is the one below. It includes a link to Procopius' Secret History, but be forewarned that parts of the section on Theodora are for mature audiences only!
   http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/justinian/3.html
4. Another site with Procopius' complete history is
   http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/procop-anec.html