THE EMPRESS IN LATE ANTIQUITY AND THE ROMAN ORIGINS OF THE IMPERIAL FEMININE by Carina Marie Nilsson Bachelor of Arts, Simon Fraser University 2007 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Simon Fraser University, 2007 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS In the Department of History © Carina Marie Nilsson 2011 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Spring 2011 All rights reserved. However, in accordance with the Copyright Act of Canada, this work may be reproduced, without authorization, under the conditions for Fair Dealing. Therefore, limited reproduction of this work for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review and news reporting is likely to be in accordance with the law, particularly if cited appropriately. APPROVAL Name: Carina Marie Nilsson Degree: Master of Arts Title of Thesis: The Empress in Late Antiquity and the Roman Origins of the Imperial Feminine Examining Committee: Chair: Dr. Mary-Ellen Kelm Associate Professor, Department of History Dr. Dimitri Krallis Senior Supervisor Assistant Professor, Department of History Dr. Willeen Keough Supervisor Associate Professor, Department of History Dr. Mary Lynn Stewart External Examiner Professor, Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Date Defended/Approved: January 7,2011 ii Declaration of Partial Copyright Licence The author, whose copyright is declared on the title page of this work, has granted to Simon Fraser University the right to lend this thesis, project or extended essay to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. The author has further granted permission to Simon Fraser University to keep or make a digital copy for use in its circulating collection (currently available to the public at the “Institutional Repository” link of the SFU Library website <www.lib.sfu.ca> at: <http://ir.lib.sfu.ca/handle/1892/112>) and, without changing the content, to translate the thesis/project or extended essays, if technically possible, to any medium or format for the purpose of preservation of the digital work. The author has further agreed that permission for multiple copying of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by either the author or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this work for financial gain shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission. Permission for public performance, or limited permission for private scholarly use, of any multimedia materials forming part of this work, may have been granted by the author. This information may be found on the separately catalogued multimedia material and in the signed Partial Copyright Licence. While licensing SFU to permit the above uses, the author retains copyright in the thesis, project or extended essays, including the right to change the work for subsequent purposes, including editing and publishing the work in whole or in part, and licensing other parties, as the author may desire. The original Partial Copyright Licence attesting to these terms, and signed by this author, may be found in the original bound copy of this work, retained in the Simon Fraser University Archive. Simon Fraser University Library Burnaby, BC, Canada Last revision: Spring 09 ABSTRACT This thesis looks at the position of the empress in Late Antique Byzantium, and seeks to trace the processes by which imperial women came to wield power, and actively participate in governance. In this context, Julio-Claudian and early imperial constructions of the imperial feminine help highlight the continuities and changes that shaped the political role of empresses. By using gender as an analytical tool this thesis explores the dynamic nature of the relationship between empress and emperor, and assists in the diachronic analysis of the various ways in which imperial power was articulated in literary and visual representations. Keywords: Byzantium; Empress; Emperor; Gender; Feminine; Masculine; Imperial; Numismatics; Statuary; Monument; Art; Literature; Rhetoric. iii DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my family for all of their support, love, and endless patience. To my mother and father, Rosina and Jan Nilsson, who instilled in me the fascination and curiosity for a good story, and who trekked across the ocean countless times to care for my little ones, giving me the opportunity to research and complete this thesis. To Cyrus Thiedeke, for your confidence and encouragement during many a late night and frantic moment. To my two little ones, Finn Barbro Thiedeke and Augustus Cyrus Thiedeke, the best motivators of all. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My utmost gratitude to Professor Dimitri Krallis for his direction and guidance throughout the completion of this thesis. My sincerest thanks for introducing me to Byzantine history years ago, and continuing the discussion when, as a graduate student, I was the lone Byzantinist amongst a sea of modern historians. I am indebted to Professor Willeen Keough’s conviction, kindness, and sharp insight, which has opened up my understanding of history, and made this thesis the stronger for it. I also must acknowledge my close friend and colleague, Julia Maureen Smith, and her constant encouragement and cheer. Sometimes it was all I needed to press on. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Approval..................................................................................................................................... ii Abstract .....................................................................................................................................iii Dedication................................................................................................................................. iv Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................v Table of Contents.................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures .........................................................................................................................vii List of Tables..........................................................................................................................viii Figures ..................................................................................................................................................1 Tables: Roman Imperial Dynasty Family Trees......................................................................5 Introduction............................................................................................................................11 1.1 Survey of Literature ........................................................................................................... 19 Chapter One: From Roman Republic to Dynastic Monarchy, the Rise of the Imperial family ......................................................................................................................37 Chapter two: Continuity and Innovation in Byzantine Imperial Representations ....................................................................................................................59 Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................83 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................85 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Detail of Southern Frieze, Ara Pacis Augustau, 13 BC. Figure 2: Marlborough cameo; turquoise cameo depicting Livia and Drusus, 9 BC. Figure 3: Arsinoe II and Ptolemy II, Alexandria mint, 265 – 260 BC. Figure 4: Adoption and sacrifice reliefs, Ephesus Parthenon Monument, ca. AD 170. Figure 5: Trier Ivory, dated late 6th to 7th century. Figure 6: Gold coin, Pulcheria obverse, Victory reverse; struck AD 420-422 Constantinople mint. Figure 7: Ivory Panel, Empress Sophia; early 5th century. vii LIST OF TABLES Table 1 – Julio-Claudian Dynasty Family Tree Table 2 – Nerva-Antonine Dynasty Family Tree Table 3 – Severan Dynasty Family Tree Table 4 – Tetrarchy and Constantinian Dynasty Family Tree Table 5 – Theodosian Dynasty Family Tree Table 6 – Justinian Dynasty Family Tree * All Family Trees © 1998 R. Scott Moore viii Figures Figure 1 Detail of Southern Frieze Ara Pacis Augustae (Altar of Augustan Peace); © 2006 Mary Ann Sullivan Figure 2 Marlborough Cameo: Livia with the Bust of Divius Augustus (perhaps Drusus), Turquoise Cameo. 9 BC. ARTstor [online]. New York: New York. [cited 22 August 2010]. Available from World Wide Web: (http://www.artstor.org) 1 Figure 3 Copper-gold coin. Arsinoe II and Ptolemy II jugate busts, ca. 265-260 BC. © 2005 Matthias Kabel from Wikimedia Commons. Figure 4 Parthian Monument from Ephesus: Adoption of Lucius Verus as a youth by Emperor Hadrian, accompanied by Marcus Aurelius and Antoninun Pius; side relief of altar enclosure, completed ca. AD 170. ARTstor [online]. New York: New York. [cited 2 September 2010]. Available from World Wide Web: (http://www.artstor.org) 2 th th Figure 7 Reliquary Panel: Translation of Relics of 40 Martyrs [Trier Ivory]. Late 6 to 7 Century. ARTstor [online]. New York: New York. [cited 14 June 2010]. Available from World Wide Web: (http://www.artstor.org) Figure 6 Gold Coin: Empress Pulcheria