The Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius Scholasticus - Coptic ...

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY: BOOK IV 209
10 Now, whereas Justinian most resolutely supported those who had
gathered at Chalcedon and what had been expounded by them, his
consort Theodora upheld those who speak of one nature, whether
because they did in truth hold these views ^ for when there is a proposal
to discuss the faith, fathers are at odds with children, and children in turn
with those who begat them, a wife with her own spouse and in turn again
a husband with his own spouse ^ or because they had reached some sort
of accommodation, so that he would support those who speak of two
natures in Christ our God whereas she would do the same for those who
advocate one nature. At any rate, then, neither made any concession to
the other: but he most enthusiastically upheld what had been agreed at
Chalcedon, while she sided with those on the opposite side and made
every provision for those who speak of one nature; she both looked after
local people and welcomed outsiders with considerable sums of money.
She also persuaded Justinian to have Severus summoned. 28
anticipated somewhat in the allusion to episcopal disarray, since at Justinian’s accession
Timothy IV was still in control at Alexandria (517^35) and Epiphanius at Constantinople
(520^35), though their respective successions caused problems. At Constantinople Anthimus
was appointed patriarch in June 535 with the reputation for being a Chalcedonian,
but soon came under the in£uence of Severus and proclaimed his agreement with the latter’s
doctrinal views (ps.-Zach. ix.21; for discussion of Anthimus, see Honigmann, Studies 185^
93). At Alexandria Theodosius, a Severan Monophysite, had been installed in February 535
with the support of the empress Theodora, but he was driven from his see by the more
extreme Gaianus (a Julianist, who believed in the incorruptibility of Christ’s human £esh,
even before the resurrection), who had strong support from the local population; Theodosius
was only restored to o⁄ce by imperial troops, after some bloodshed.
28 Theodora: PLRE III. 1240^1, s.v. Theodora 1; though opposed to Theodora on doctrinal
grounds, Evagrius does not make any allusions to her colourful past.
Religious disagreement between the imperial pair is also reported by Procopius (Secret
History 10.13^15; 27.12^13), who naturally placed an unfavourable interpretation on the
discord as one aspect of the couple’s policy of divide and rule. Although a Chalcedonian
by birth and conviction, Justinian still made strenuous attempts to reconcile the Monophysites
which are not fully recorded by Evagrius (e.g. the protracted negotiations in 532, or the
Theopaschite Edict in 533). Theodora’s Monophysite credentials are attested by John of
Ephesus and later Monophysite writers: she provided accommodation in the Palace of Hormisdas
for as many as 500 persecuted Monophysites ‘from all quarters of the East and of the
West, and Syria and Armenia, Cappadocia and Cilicia, Isauria and Lycaonia, and Asia and
Alexandria and Byzantium’; even Justinian on occasions came to see the holy men and
receive their blessing (John of Ephesus, Lives 47, PO 18. 676^84).
Ps.-Zachariah (ix.19) refers to Theodora’s enthusiasm for Severus, which ensured that
Justinian gave him a friendly reception.