Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index


  • Record Number: 18374
  • Author(s)/Creator(s): Rousseau , Vanessa.
  • Contributor(s):
  • Title: Emblem of an Empire: The Development of the Byzantine Empress's Crown [The author traces influences from Persia and Central Asia as well as Classical practices. Frequently the crown of a Byzantine empress was more complicated that that of an emperor. In the case of Theodora, she is portrayed as wearing a heavily jewelled crown atop a turban. The crown has long jewelled pendants on each side that extend almost to her waist. The crowns of empresses frequently bear witness to the fusion of Eastern with Mediterranean customs and sensibilities. Title note supplied by Feminae.].
  • Source: Al-Masåq 16, 1 (March 2004): Pages 5 - 15.
  • Description:
  • Article Type: Journal Article
  • Subject (See Also): Byzantium Crowns Empresses Hairstyles
  • Award Note:
  • Geographic Area: Eastern Mediterranean
  • Century: General
  • Primary Evidence:
  • Illustrations: Eleven figures. Figure One Drawings of a sculpted head with jewelled headress, identified variously as Galla Placidia, Theodora, and Pulcheria, c. 450-540, from Castello Sforzesco, Milan. Figure Two Drawing of the head of Constantine IX based on the mosaic from St. Sophia, Istanbul, eleventh century. Figure Three Drawing of St. Stephen's Crown, eleventh century, from Magyar Nemzeti Museum, Budapest. Figure Four Drawing of drachm coin of Osroes II, circa 190 C.E. Figure Five Drawing of a Sasanid king, circa second century from a silver plate. Figure Six Drawing of Empress Theodora, circa 548 C.E., from the mosaic in San Vitale, Ravenna. Figure Seven Drawing of Ariadne, circa 500 C.E., from an ivory diptych (Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Antikensammlung). Figure Eight Drawing of Irene Komnene, 12th century, from the mosaic in St. Sophia, Istanbul. Figure Nine Drawing of Anna Radene, a donor, 10th century, from a fresco in the Church of Anargyroi, Kastoria, Greece. Figure Ten Drawing of a bodhisattva, 9th century, from silk embroidery from Dunhuang. Figure Eleven Drawing of Avalokiteshvara, 9th century, from a fresco at Dunhuang.
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  • Conference Info: - , -
  • Year of Publication: 2004.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN/ISBN: 09503110