Person

Theodora (wife of Theophilos)

c. 815–after 867 · 9th century

Theodora was a Byzantine empress, wife of Emperor Theophilos, who ruled as regent for their young son Michael III from 842 to 856. In 843 she restored the veneration of icons, ending the period of Iconoclasm, an event the Orthodox Church celebrates as the Triumph of Orthodoxy. Her regency also saw a harsh persecution of the Paulicians, many thousands of whom were killed. She is venerated as a saint.

Theodora (wife of Theophilos)
Image: unknown Byzantine artist · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

Paulician state

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Theodora (wife of Theophilos). In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/theodora-wife-of-theophilos
MLA
“Theodora (wife of Theophilos).” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/theodora-wife-of-theophilos. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Theodora (wife of Theophilos).” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/theodora-wife-of-theophilos.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Theodora (wife of Theophilos)’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/theodora-wife-of-theophilos (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻