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 Theodora's very humble beginnings or her improbable rise to fame and power. Raised in a family of circus performers near Constantinople's 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.Theodora's 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 Theodora's life. This fascinating portrait will intrigue all readers with an interest in ancient and women's history.
#1879119 in Books Fisher Greg 2013-07-18 2013-07-18Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 5.50 x .60 x 8.50l; #File Name: 0199679312274 pagesBetween Empires Arabs Romans and Sasanians in Late Antiquity
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. A scholarly monographBy MetallurgistThis book is written for scholars and those deeply interested in the Middle East in late antiquity; just before the Muslim conquest of the area. It discusses; in great detail; the Jafnid; and Nasrid Arab elites who dominated much of the area that is now Jordan; Syrian and part of Iraq. The book discusses their relationship to the Roman and Sasanian Empires; their impact on the land and its history; their Christianity and relationship to the Christians of the Roman Empire; and their relationship to the Arab nomads who lived to their south. The book was well written; but was a bit more scholarly that I hoped for. For instance; if you are interested in the language spoken by the elites; Arabic versus Aramaic; then this is the book for you. I was less interested in this level of detail; so for me it was only 3-stars; but for someone more interested in the subject it would likely rate four or even five stars. (Note - that the rating is supposed to tell how well you liked or did not like a product; so I am rating it on this basis.)10 of 10 people found the following review helpful. In between and finally squeezedBy JPSThis is a relatively short but scholarly book (some 200 pages of main text) which focuses on the relations between the Sassanian and Roman Empires and their respective Arab allies; the Nasrids (better known as the "pro-Sassanid" Lakhmids) and the Jafnids (often called the Ghassanids; and generally "pro-Roman").The author prefers using the dynastic rather than the tribal terms because; as he shows throughout the book; the following of the two families are more than likely to have gone well beyond a single tribe or clan.This book is very much worth reading for anyone wanting to learn about the rather complex role played of the Arab clients/allies of the two Empires. It is also of interest to understand how Arabic pre-Islamic identities were starting to emerge and be built during the sixth century AD.One of the most fascinating elements contained in this book is that it shows the evolution whereby groups coalesced into loose confederations around charismatic leaders and their descendants. The power of these leaders and their families was largely derived from the support - recognition; titles and subsidies; in particular - which they received from the respective Empires. The author is careful to show that they never quite evolved into fully-fledged vassal states; although their leaders became more assertive and more ambitious towards the end of the century. Greg Fisher also shows how; to build up their power while not losing touch with their followers and becoming alienated; these leaders had to play a careful balancing act. He also describes how ultimately vulnerable they were and how; by the end of the century; both Empire moved in against them; squeezed them and suppressed them; because their respective "clients" were becoming incontrollable and a bit too assertive.The book mainly concentrates on the Jafnids and Ghassanids; simply because the sources; both written and archaeological; are better than for the Jafnids (Al-Hira; their capital; which is nowadays in Irak; has never been properly excavated; for instance). There is however considerably more to the book than that; for it also contains interesting insights and discussions on early pre-Islamic written Arabic and the progressive building of an Arab identity; together with what little we know about the other confederations in the Arabic peninsula.The study is also worthwhile for its balanced discussions on Arab Christianisation and; more generally; on the evolution of religious beliefs in the Arabic peninsula before the birth of Islam. It also puts pay to the sometimes simplistic dichotomy that can be drawn between sedentary and nomad populations; which could; at times; belong to the same tribes.Finally; perhaps the main merit of this study is its attempt to "set the record straight" by attempting to keep to what little we really know; instead of speculating as some authors have been tempted to do; and by avoiding to "overplay" the importance of these client Arabs. As the author states in his conclusion; "although they are deeply relevant to the study of Late Antiquity"... they never were of central importance for the political and military concerns of their patrons; as some suggest" (Irfan Shahid; in particular). Nevertheless; "they are extremely relevant to the study of state-tribe; centre-periphery and empire-client relationships"; as the author has shown so well in this book.Four solid stars.1 of 10 people found the following review helpful. Mr. Fisher repeatedly failed and/or ignored the fact that ...By Mark KrochanMr. Fisher repeatedly failed and/or ignored the fact that Christianity flourished by the Arabs for more than three centuries before the Greco-Roman world had even heard of it.The so called Arabs; seemingly despised by Mr. Fisher; Romans and Persians alike; however; played an important role in cultural; economic; religious; and political life of both Roman and Persian Empires. From the golden sand of the Arabian Peninsula desert to the green cedar and olive trees in the Levant. Here; beneath a mask of Greco-Roman civilization and a venire of Achaemenid/ Sasanian Persian crown; Christian; Jewish and Pagan Semites had never lost contact with their indigenous cultural heritage. In fact; with the coming of Muslim Semites the Greco-Roman mask; which was deeply influenced by Semitic culture including Judaism and Christianity was rapidly marginalized and the heavy suspended Persian crown in the east suddenly; seized to exist. Both facts are still not clearly understood; by historians and politicians alike. Mr. Fisher’s Between Empires provides no help in deciphering today’s news.
