All About - History - Hitler Versus Stain

through her direct involvement, and killing a wife
who had committed adultery was also prohibited.
In all of this, Theodora had the backing of
the emperor, who listened to and respected her
views. In particular, Theodora was instrumental
in attempts to reform the corruption in
Constantinople’s brothels. Prostitution was a
major issue within the city, and exploitation
and mistreatment were rife. With her husband’s
backing, Theodora set out to address this, setting
up a convent as an escape for the women caught
in this abusive life. Sources differ, however, and
two distinct versions of events can be read. In one
telling, the women were rescued from the horrors
of the streets, living in comfort and harmony in
their reformed lives behind the convent walls.
Procopius, however, paints a more sinister picture:
in his version, the women were kidnapped,
moved into the convent against their will and
forcibly reformed. The empress, far from being
their saviour, was in fact jailer and tormentor; the
women did not want to be removed from the life
they knew, and some even committed suicide by
throwing themselves onto the rocks below the
convent in utter despair at their ‘rescue’.
Not mentioned by contemporary sources, it
is likely that the worst excesses recounted by
Procopius were part of the embittered smear
campaign later carried out against Theodora
d Justinian. Whether truthful or
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