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Theodora and the Emperor
Book by Lamb, Harold
377 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1952
18 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Harold Lamb
136 books162 followersHarold Albert Lamb was an American historian, screenwriter, short story writer, and novelist.
Born in Alpine, New Jersey, he attended Columbia University, where his interest in the peoples and history of Asia began. Lamb built a career with his writing from an early age. He got his start in the pulp magazines, quickly moving to the prestigious Adventure magazine, his primary fiction outlet for nineteen years. In 1927 he wrote a biography of Genghis Khan, and following on its success turned more and more to the writing of non-fiction, penning numerous biographies and popular history books until his death in 1962. The success of Lamb's two volume history of the Crusades led to his discovery by Cecil B. DeMille, who employed Lamb as a technical advisor on a related movie, The Crusades, and used him as a screenwriter on many other DeMille movies thereafter. Lamb spoke French, Latin, Persian, and Arabic, and, by his own account, a smattering of Manchu-Tartar.
From Wikipedia
Born in Alpine, New Jersey, he attended Columbia University, where his interest in the peoples and history of Asia began. Lamb built a career with his writing from an early age. He got his start in the pulp magazines, quickly moving to the prestigious Adventure magazine, his primary fiction outlet for nineteen years. In 1927 he wrote a biography of Genghis Khan, and following on its success turned more and more to the writing of non-fiction, penning numerous biographies and popular history books until his death in 1962. The success of Lamb's two volume history of the Crusades led to his discovery by Cecil B. DeMille, who employed Lamb as a technical advisor on a related movie, The Crusades, and used him as a screenwriter on many other DeMille movies thereafter. Lamb spoke French, Latin, Persian, and Arabic, and, by his own account, a smattering of Manchu-Tartar.
From Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 23, 2025
Harold Lamb (1892-1962) wrote biographies of great historical figures that were exciting reads and brought those giant figures and their societies vividly to life. As a kid, I read his books about Genghis Khan and Alexander, and I remember reading his Hannibal in high school, hating the sad ending of Hannibal's life. Later, I found a number of other books of his, such as "Cyrus the Great" and "The March of Muscovy." Recently, I got a hold of "Theodora and the Emperor," a 1963 Bantam paperback ( copyright 1952). An intriguing story set in a very different world ( as it was pre-industrial) but showing a society trying desperately to stave off the Dark Ages ( which had engulfed Western Europe with the Fall of Rome), so, in that way, similar to ours. It's 6th Century Constantinople and "the Eastern Roman Empire," now called the Byzantine Empire.
Unlike other books by Lamb that I've read, such as about Hannibal or Genghis Khan, this is a book about a couple. You could say they "co-ruled" and, though sometimes at odds, did the job of ruling an empire very effectively. They were the Emperor Justinian I and the Empress Theodora, and it's the woman, Theodora, who comes across as the stronger, more vibrant, and simply more interesting character. That's why Theodora's name comes first in the title! The man, Justinian, is no Hannibal or Julius Caesar, not any kind of military leader who could inspire and lead troops into battle. He was a scholar and administrator, who showed himself to the people as little as possible.
They were a most unlikely pair to rise to the top of their society. He was Peter, a shy shepherd boy who made his way to Constantinople, and, helped by the uncle who took him under his wing, mastered the bureaucracy and was able to work his way to the top. She was a circus performer, an actress--and a harlot (actress and harlot were considered the same in that culture!). But her great ambition led her to hook up with the scholarly Justinian and she provided the backbone to make him a strong emperor. It goes without saying he would not have lasted long as emperor without her.
Lamb shows us a world--the Mediterranean--in which barbarian hordes were moving about threatening what civilization was left after the fall of Rome. Justinian ( who ruled from 527 CE to 565 CE) was able to build Constantinople into an almost impregnable bastion and forge a mighty empire which would survive until 1453. It was his vision to restore the Roman Empire--and he almost did it.
His vision was almost realized by a great military leader, Belisarius, who led the Byzantine forces in the conquest ( or re-conquest) of Italy, including the once-great city of Rome, and North Africa. But in the end, the Byzantines would not be able to hold the parts of the West they had conquered. One reason--and I think the main reason--was the so-called "Plague of Justinian" from 541-549. This plague was the first documented outbreak of a bubonic plague in history and it decimated Constantinople and the entire empire, killing between 1/4 and 1/2 of the population of the Eastern Roman Empire, estimates ranging from 25 to 50 million people ( Justinian caught the disease but survived). And, as you can imagine, a severe shortage of manpower for use in the military was a result of the plague. Even more seriously, with the deaths of so many farmers, famine was a catastrophic result. Trade and the economy nearly collapsed.
Justinian should be remembered for his monumental legal code, the Code of Justinian, the basis for many civil codes today. And the building that stands as the greatest monument to him exists to this day--the magnificent Sancta Sophia, the present-day Hagia Sophia Mosque of Istanbul, Turkiye.
Quite a story that Harold Lamb tells...and quite a couple! I still prefer Hannibal, but I think Lamb makes the point that our civilization owes an incalculable debt to Theodora and her Emperor Justinian.
Unlike other books by Lamb that I've read, such as about Hannibal or Genghis Khan, this is a book about a couple. You could say they "co-ruled" and, though sometimes at odds, did the job of ruling an empire very effectively. They were the Emperor Justinian I and the Empress Theodora, and it's the woman, Theodora, who comes across as the stronger, more vibrant, and simply more interesting character. That's why Theodora's name comes first in the title! The man, Justinian, is no Hannibal or Julius Caesar, not any kind of military leader who could inspire and lead troops into battle. He was a scholar and administrator, who showed himself to the people as little as possible.
They were a most unlikely pair to rise to the top of their society. He was Peter, a shy shepherd boy who made his way to Constantinople, and, helped by the uncle who took him under his wing, mastered the bureaucracy and was able to work his way to the top. She was a circus performer, an actress--and a harlot (actress and harlot were considered the same in that culture!). But her great ambition led her to hook up with the scholarly Justinian and she provided the backbone to make him a strong emperor. It goes without saying he would not have lasted long as emperor without her.
Lamb shows us a world--the Mediterranean--in which barbarian hordes were moving about threatening what civilization was left after the fall of Rome. Justinian ( who ruled from 527 CE to 565 CE) was able to build Constantinople into an almost impregnable bastion and forge a mighty empire which would survive until 1453. It was his vision to restore the Roman Empire--and he almost did it.
His vision was almost realized by a great military leader, Belisarius, who led the Byzantine forces in the conquest ( or re-conquest) of Italy, including the once-great city of Rome, and North Africa. But in the end, the Byzantines would not be able to hold the parts of the West they had conquered. One reason--and I think the main reason--was the so-called "Plague of Justinian" from 541-549. This plague was the first documented outbreak of a bubonic plague in history and it decimated Constantinople and the entire empire, killing between 1/4 and 1/2 of the population of the Eastern Roman Empire, estimates ranging from 25 to 50 million people ( Justinian caught the disease but survived). And, as you can imagine, a severe shortage of manpower for use in the military was a result of the plague. Even more seriously, with the deaths of so many farmers, famine was a catastrophic result. Trade and the economy nearly collapsed.
Justinian should be remembered for his monumental legal code, the Code of Justinian, the basis for many civil codes today. And the building that stands as the greatest monument to him exists to this day--the magnificent Sancta Sophia, the present-day Hagia Sophia Mosque of Istanbul, Turkiye.
Quite a story that Harold Lamb tells...and quite a couple! I still prefer Hannibal, but I think Lamb makes the point that our civilization owes an incalculable debt to Theodora and her Emperor Justinian.
September 5, 2012
Author displays working and positive knowledge of Byzantine history; reads as a tightly-paced novel instead of a biography. Excellent book!
January 1, 2019
Have started five Harold Lamb books. Only this one captured my interest, forming fragments of my historical vision of the Mediterranean. A library cataloging challenge.
***
"Lamb's history books are a curious mix of styles, though all are frequently organized in libraries as either fiction or biography. Some, like Nur Mahal and Omar Khayyam, are straight historical fiction. Alexander, Cyrus, and Theodora and the Emperor are all a strange mix of fiction and fact, and none of them quite succeed. Alexander* is the most mixed of them all, feeling much like a historical novel through the first half and a history book through the second."
Source of quote
https://www.haroldlamb.com/history.htm
***
another Lamb piece swiped from the net ... Faded Page
https://www.fadedpage.com/showbook.ph...
*
"Alexander of Macedon
Title: Alexander of Macedon
Author:
Lamb, Harold
Published: 1946
Publisher: Doubleday & Company, Inc.
Tags: biography, fiction, historical
Description:
In a breathless tale of the extraordinary Alexander the Great, a master storyteller recreates the high drama which was this infamous demi-god's life. Here is the handsome young prince who chose books over the beautiful young women and men sent to tempt him; the youthful conqueror who ordered bloody massacres but grew sick with self-loathing afterward; the brilliant general who battled his way into the unknown to learn the mysteries of life; the ascetic who brought his people richness and luxury beyond their wildest dreams; the despot who, in a dozen years, altered the entire thrust of history ..."
***
"Lamb's history books are a curious mix of styles, though all are frequently organized in libraries as either fiction or biography. Some, like Nur Mahal and Omar Khayyam, are straight historical fiction. Alexander, Cyrus, and Theodora and the Emperor are all a strange mix of fiction and fact, and none of them quite succeed. Alexander* is the most mixed of them all, feeling much like a historical novel through the first half and a history book through the second."
Source of quote
https://www.haroldlamb.com/history.htm
***
another Lamb piece swiped from the net ... Faded Page
https://www.fadedpage.com/showbook.ph...
*
"Alexander of Macedon
Title: Alexander of Macedon
Author:
Lamb, Harold
Published: 1946
Publisher: Doubleday & Company, Inc.
Tags: biography, fiction, historical
Description:
In a breathless tale of the extraordinary Alexander the Great, a master storyteller recreates the high drama which was this infamous demi-god's life. Here is the handsome young prince who chose books over the beautiful young women and men sent to tempt him; the youthful conqueror who ordered bloody massacres but grew sick with self-loathing afterward; the brilliant general who battled his way into the unknown to learn the mysteries of life; the ascetic who brought his people richness and luxury beyond their wildest dreams; the despot who, in a dozen years, altered the entire thrust of history ..."
July 8, 2024
"Bizim Jüstinyen'nin durumunda karşı karşıya kaldığımız şey bir ikili kişilik değil, iki kişiliktir. Jüstinyen olmaksızın Theodora olmazdı ve Theodora olmaksızın Jüstinyen olmazdı."
Beni en çok etkileyen şeylerden biri Jüstinyen ve Thehodora'nın birbirlerine olan bağlılıkları ve sevgileri olmuştur. Zekası ve otoritesi Theodora'yı en güçlü Roma imparatoriçelrinden biri yapmıştır. Hatta Theodora'nın otoritesi Jüstinyen'nin otoritesinden bile ağır basardı diyor Harold Lamb. Bu konuyla ilgilenen bütün tarihçilerin ise Jüstinyen ve Theodora'nın birbirleri ile uyum içinde oldukları konusunda hemfikir olduklarını da ekliyor.
Theodora'nın imparatorluk ve Jüstinyen üzerindeki etkisi ve gücü büyüktü. İmparatorluğun yönetiminde en az Jüstinyen kadar söz sahibi Theodora. "Eğer imparator kızgınlıkla bir kişiyi cezalandırırsa bu kişilerin başvurabileceği ikinci bir merci daha bulunuyordu (Theodora). Kontrol konusunda yaşanan bu ikicilik aslında sağlıklı bir politik iklim yaratıyordu"
Sıfırdan ve üstelik hayat kadınlığından gelip zekası ve hırsı ile sahip olduğu hayatı yaratan Theodora'ya saygı duyuyorum. Onu eleştireceğim tek nokta ise koyu bir dindar olması ve çok fazla zenginlik hırsı içinde bulunması. Bir noktada Hürrem Sultan ve Theodora'yı birbirine aşırı benzetiyorum karakter olarak. Ama ikisinin de şanssızlığı zeki olmalarına rağmen eğitimsiz olmaları. Eğer Theodora eğitimli bir imparatoriçe olsaydı kesinlikle imparatorluk üzerinde bir hasara yol açmazdı. Ne var ki hal böyleyken bile imparatorluk ve Jüstinyen üzerine olumlu etkileri olmuştur.
İkisinin haricinde, yaşadıkları dönemde Konstantinapol'de bulunan kadınlar ve kızlar diğer ülkelerdeki kadınlara göre daha avantajlılar: Kanunlar oluşturulurken sosyal eşitlik gözetiliyor, erkekler olduğu kadar kızlar da eğitim görüyordu. Tabii bu eğitim ayrıcalığı ülkenin ileri gelen ailelerinin kızlarına yapılıyordur muhtemelen ve bunlar Jüstinyen dönemi için söz konusudur.
Jüstinyen de şüphesiz çok zeki bir insan fakat aşırı derecede kuşkucu tavrı ve kıskançlığı onun zaman zaman yanlış kararlar almasına sebep olmuştur.
Şanssızlık ve acı dolu hayatından hırsı ve zekası sayesinde kurtulup Roma'nın imparatoriçesi olan Theodora'nın ve Makedonyalı bir köylü çocuğu olan ,sonrasında ise Roma'nın imparatoru olan Jüstinyen'nin yaşadıkları döneme ve halka etkileri baz alınarak hazırlanmış, tarihi gerçekleri temel alan bir tarihi kurgu romanı.
Beni en çok etkileyen şeylerden biri Jüstinyen ve Thehodora'nın birbirlerine olan bağlılıkları ve sevgileri olmuştur. Zekası ve otoritesi Theodora'yı en güçlü Roma imparatoriçelrinden biri yapmıştır. Hatta Theodora'nın otoritesi Jüstinyen'nin otoritesinden bile ağır basardı diyor Harold Lamb. Bu konuyla ilgilenen bütün tarihçilerin ise Jüstinyen ve Theodora'nın birbirleri ile uyum içinde oldukları konusunda hemfikir olduklarını da ekliyor.
Theodora'nın imparatorluk ve Jüstinyen üzerindeki etkisi ve gücü büyüktü. İmparatorluğun yönetiminde en az Jüstinyen kadar söz sahibi Theodora. "Eğer imparator kızgınlıkla bir kişiyi cezalandırırsa bu kişilerin başvurabileceği ikinci bir merci daha bulunuyordu (Theodora). Kontrol konusunda yaşanan bu ikicilik aslında sağlıklı bir politik iklim yaratıyordu"
Sıfırdan ve üstelik hayat kadınlığından gelip zekası ve hırsı ile sahip olduğu hayatı yaratan Theodora'ya saygı duyuyorum. Onu eleştireceğim tek nokta ise koyu bir dindar olması ve çok fazla zenginlik hırsı içinde bulunması. Bir noktada Hürrem Sultan ve Theodora'yı birbirine aşırı benzetiyorum karakter olarak. Ama ikisinin de şanssızlığı zeki olmalarına rağmen eğitimsiz olmaları. Eğer Theodora eğitimli bir imparatoriçe olsaydı kesinlikle imparatorluk üzerinde bir hasara yol açmazdı. Ne var ki hal böyleyken bile imparatorluk ve Jüstinyen üzerine olumlu etkileri olmuştur.
İkisinin haricinde, yaşadıkları dönemde Konstantinapol'de bulunan kadınlar ve kızlar diğer ülkelerdeki kadınlara göre daha avantajlılar: Kanunlar oluşturulurken sosyal eşitlik gözetiliyor, erkekler olduğu kadar kızlar da eğitim görüyordu. Tabii bu eğitim ayrıcalığı ülkenin ileri gelen ailelerinin kızlarına yapılıyordur muhtemelen ve bunlar Jüstinyen dönemi için söz konusudur.
Jüstinyen de şüphesiz çok zeki bir insan fakat aşırı derecede kuşkucu tavrı ve kıskançlığı onun zaman zaman yanlış kararlar almasına sebep olmuştur.
Şanssızlık ve acı dolu hayatından hırsı ve zekası sayesinde kurtulup Roma'nın imparatoriçesi olan Theodora'nın ve Makedonyalı bir köylü çocuğu olan ,sonrasında ise Roma'nın imparatoru olan Jüstinyen'nin yaşadıkları döneme ve halka etkileri baz alınarak hazırlanmış, tarihi gerçekleri temel alan bir tarihi kurgu romanı.
October 28, 2021
Berbat bir çeviri.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews