Theodora of Byzantium: Before becoming Empress of the Byzantine Empire, Theodora was an actress and courtesan, professions that in her time were associated with promiscuity. Her early life is documented by historians such as Procopius, who often wrote scandalously about her. Regardless of these accounts, Theodora became a powerful and influential empress alongside her husband, Emperor Justinian I, known for her intelligence, political acumen, and charitable works.
