Julieta Almeida Rodrigues

 

September 27, 2024

Faith, thank you so much for accepting to be interviewed.

 

It's a pleasure, Julieta. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to speak to your readers.

 

JR: Your story is about the Theodosian Empress Athenais set in Constantinople in AD 419. To be consort of the Roman emperor, she is required to convert to Christianity. How old is Athenais now? What is her former religion?

 

FJ: Athenais is a nineteen year old orphan, the daughter of a scholar who educated her in philosophy, rhetoric, history and other studies beyond what most girls of her class learned. Because she was not baptized in the Nicene Christian church, she was considered a "pagan" by Christian standards although she likely did not believe in multiple gods. Philosophers of the day believed in a single creative force that brought the world into being and was unknowable by the vast majority of people at the time. A few philosophers believed they could see the face of God by meditation and study of mathematics.

When Athenais was baptized into the Christian Church, she took the name Aelia Eudocia but was still called Athenais by family and friends. I continued to use Athenais in my story because her baptismal name is shared with several other Theodosian women and I didn't want people to be confused. Folks who want to look her up in the history books should search for Aelia Eudocia Augusta.

 

 

JR: Why is the emperor interested in marrying her?

 

FJ: Theodosian II (grandson of Theodosius the Great) was twenty and looking for a wife to continue the dynasty. There's a sweet myth about their meeting. Supposedly when her father died, he left all his money to Athenais' two brothers saying "your face will be your fortune." Athenais went to Constantinople to contest the will and pleaded so eloquently that Empress Pulcheria (Theodosius' sister and protagonist of Dawn Empress, the second book in the series) thought Athenais would be a fit consort for her brother. Pulcheria arranged for them to meet. They fell in love and happily married.

That story is considered apocryphal by most historians. It's much more likely that an out-of-power faction of nobles took advantage of Pulcheria's distraction by a war with Persia to introduce Athenais to an impressionable Theodosius. However, both Pulcheria and Theodosius were almost fanatically religious, so Athenais had to convert to be married. They did seem happy together in the first years of their marriage.

 

 

JR: Once married and living in Constantinople, how did Athenais make her stamp on this religious court?

 

FJ: Athenais was an accomplished poet and scholar. More of her writing survived into the modern day, than any other ancient female author, including the better-known poet Sappho. You can read her translated extant work in In Her Own Words: the Life and Poetry of Aelia Eudocia by Brian P. Sowers. Where her sister-in-law built and dedicated churches, Athenais held salons for writers, musicians and artists and promoted their work throughout her life. She endowed over thirty chairs in rhetoric, law, and mathematics at the Constantinople University in order to bring it up to the standards of a capital learning institution. Some of those scholars went on to help her husband compile the Theodosian Code—a signal accomplishment of his reign.

 

JR: It sounds like she had a lovely marriage and productive life. How was she a Rebel Empress?

 

FJ: Athenais and Pulcheria fought throughout the marriage for influence and control of a weak-willed Theodosius. Due to a shared traumatic childhood, Pulcheria was his closest advisor and resented Athenais' presence. However, she acknowledged the need for an heir. After many years and three pregnancies, Athenais had only one surviving daughter and her influence over Theodosius waned.

She showed her spirit and independence on a number of occasions, but she finally broke with the court mid-life and moved to Jerusalem where she actively engaged with the people and religious institutions. She is credited with "rebuilding Jerusalem," by expanding and rebuilding its walls, churches, and numerous shelters for the poor and pilgrims. She sided with the city when it refused to take the court's side in a religious dispute which resulted in armed conflict. She eventually gave up her rebellion and religious "heresy" after both Theodosius and Pulcheria had died.

 

Faith, I very much appreciate your answers.

Thanks again for having me, Julieta!