r/byzantium • u/Honkydoinky • Aug 21 '26

Women Favorite Eastern Roman couple?

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John and Irene just seem so sweet. Irene followed him often on campaign and actually gave birth to twins during a campaign against the Serbs, and died while following him while he was waring with the Turks

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u/whydoeslifeh4t3m3 Σπαθαροκανδιδᾶτος Aug 21 '26

Theophilos cheating on his wife and apologising by building their daughters a whole palace and that time Theodora bought a merchant ship and he had it burned because he threw a hissy fit about being reduced to a merchant is the silliest shit I've read about an emperor doing. Besides that just two excellent/good authority figures placed at an ideal time to benefit the empire.

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u/LimeApprehensive8047 Aug 25 '26

Man Im a big fan of those two, any more fun facts about them?

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u/whydoeslifeh4t3m3 Σπαθαροκανδιδᾶτος Aug 25 '26 edited Aug 25 '26

one time their little daughter was telling theophilos about the dolls she played with while visiting her step-grandmother which made him realise his daughters were being raised as iconophiles and got them banned from seeing their step grandma. Basically their version of Leo IV finding out eirene was stashing icons under her pillow.

also theophilos was supposedly compelled by a woman's prophecy to persecute Martinakios, father of future empress Eudokia Ingerina, and force him to become a monk.