The Eagle and the Swan

This historical novel tells the story of one of the most maligned--and significant--figures of the Late Roman Empire, Empress Theodora of 6th-century Constantinople. Born the circus bear-keeper's daughter, she was a burlesque dancer, actress and courtesan before she began her escape from the gutter. Through her beauty and brilliance, she attracted the interest of a young soldier, himself born a peasant. Justinian was as ambitious and driven as Theodora. Together, they shook up not only the staid aristocrats of Byzantium but the entire Roman Empire.
The tale, based on historical sources, recounts their struggles, passions, enemies, and accomplishments. Even today, the jury is out on Theodora. Because their court historian Procopius painted her and Justinian as the blackest sinners--degenerate, lustful, and corrupt--the shining Golden Age they created was seen as debauched and rotten. The novel tells another side of their story in all its complexity, strengths and weaknesses.