The empress in late antiquity and the Roman origins of the imperial feminine

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.