Theodora is a given name of Greek origin, meaning "God's gift". Theodora may also refer to:

Historical figures known as Theodora

Byzantine empresses

Theodora (wife of Justinian I) Theodora (; Greek: Θεοδώρα; 50028 June 548), sometimes enumerated as Theodora I, was Byzantine empress by marriage to emperor Justinian. She became empress upon Justinian's accession in 527 and had commanding or considerable influence o ...

( 500 – 548), saint by the Orthodox Church *

Theodora of Khazaria Theodora of Khazaria (Greek: Θεοδώρα τῶν Χαζάρων) was Byzantine empress as the second wife of Justinian II. She was a sister of Busir, khagan of the Khazars, but their relation to other Khazar rulers such as Bihar, father of th ...

, 7th-century empress, wife of Justinian II *

Theodora (wife of Theophilos) Theodora (Greek: Θεοδώρα; 815 – c. 867), sometimes called Theodora the Armenian or Theodora the Blessed, was Byzantine empress as the wife of Byzantine emperor Theophilos from 830 to 842 and regent for the couple's young son Michael ...

, 9th-century empress, saint by the Orthodox Church * Theodora (wife of Romanos I), 10th-century empress * Theodora (daughter of Constantine VII), 10th-century empress, wife of John I Tzimiskes *

Theodora Porphyrogenita Theodora Porphyrogenita ( el, Θεοδώρα Πορφυρογέννητη, ''Theodōra Porphyrogenítē''; c. 98031 August 1056) was Byzantine Empress from 21 April 1042 to her death on 31 August 1056, and sole ruler from 11 January 1055. She ...

(c. 980–1056), empress regnant in 1042 and 1055–1056 * Theodora Palaiologina (c. 1240–1303), wife of Michael VIII Palaiologos

Trebizonian empresses

* Theodora Axuchina, empress consort of Alexios I of Trebizond * Theodora of Trebizond (before 1253 – after 1285), empress regnant from 1284 to 1285 *

Theodora Kantakouzene Theodora Komnene Kantakouzene (c. 1340 – after 1390) was the Empress consort of Alexios III of Trebizond. Family Theodora is considered a daughter of Nikephoros Kantakouzenos, '' sebastokratōr''. According to the history of their kinsman Joh ...

(c. 1240 – after 1290), empress consort of Alexios III of Trebizond * Theodora Kantakouzene (wife of Alexios IV of Trebizond), empress consort of Alexios IV of Trebizond

Others

Theodora of Emesa Theodora of Emesa was a member of an intellectual group of neoplatonists in late fifth and early sixth century Alexandria, and a disciple of Isidore. Damascius dedicated his ''Life of Isidore'', also known as the ''Philosophical History'', to The ...

, 5th-century Neoplatonist *

Flavia Maximiana Theodora Flavia Maximiana Theodora (c. 275 – before 337) was a Roman empress, wife of Constantius Chlorus. She is often referred to as a stepdaughter of Emperor Maximian by ancient sources, leading to claims by historians Otto Seeck and Ernest Stein tha ...

, daughter of the Roman emperor Maximian and second wife of emperor Constantius I *

Episcopa Theodora ''Episcopa Theodora'' is the Greek inscription on a 9th-century Christian mosaic in the Chapel of Bishop Zeno of Verona located within the Church of Saint Praxedis the Martyress in Rome. The honorific title refers to the Lady Theodora, the ...

, mother of Pope Paschal I in the 9th century *

Theodora (senatrix) Theodora (c. 870 – 916) was a senatrix and ''serenissima vestaratrix'' of Rome. She was the mother of Marozia, alleged concubine to Pope Sergius III, and the mother of Pope John XI, fathered by—according to Liutprand of Cremona and the '' ...

, Roman senatrix and mother of Marozia; concubine to Pope Sergius III * Theodora Komnene (disambiguation) *

Theodora Tocco Theodora Tocco (née Maddalena Tocco) (died November 1429) was the first wife of Constantine Palaiologos while he was Despot of Morea. Her husband would become the last Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire. Family Maddalena Tocco was a daughter o ...

, despoina consort of Constantine, Despot in Morea (later Constantine XI Palaiologos). *

Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark (1906–1969) Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark (; 30 May 1906 – 16 October 1969) was by birth a Greek and Danish princess as well as Margravine of Baden through her marriage to Berthold, pretender to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Baden. The secon ...

, daughter of Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark * Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark (born 1983), daughter of Constantine II of Greece * Theodora (Roman martyr), 2nd-century Christian martyr and saint *

Theodora and Didymus Saints Theodora and Didymus (died 304) are Christian saints whose legend is based on a 4th-century ''acta'' and the word of Saint Ambrose. The pair were martyred in the reigns of co-ruling Roman Emperors Diocletian and Maximianus. St. Theodora s ...

, early Christian martyrs *

Theodora of Alexandria Theodora of Alexandria was a saint and Desert Mother who was married to a prefect of Egypt. In order to perform penance for adultery, she disguised herself as a man and, pretending to be a eunuch, joined a monastery in the Thebaid. Her true iden ...

, Eastern Orthodox saint *

Theodora of Arta Theodora Petraliphaina ( el, Θεοδώρα Πετραλίφαινα), canonized as Saint Theodora of Arta ( el, Αγία Θεοδώρα της Άρτας; ca. 1225 – after 1270), was a consort of Epirus and an Orthodox Christian saint. Li ...

, 13th-century Empress of Epirus *

Theodora of Sihla St. Theodora of Sihla (born 1650 – d. ?) is a Romanian Christian Orthodox saint, commemorated on August 7. Life Born in Vânători-Neamț, Neamț County during the reign of Vasile Lupu, she was the daughter of the chief armourer of Neamț ...

, Romanian Orthodox saint

Works of art

* ''Theodora'' (Handel) (HWV 68), an oratorio by George Frideric Handel, based on the story of Theodora and Didymus *Either of these Italian silent films set in the Byzantine Empire: ** ''Theodora'' (1914 film) ** ''Theodora'' (1921 film)

Other uses

Theodora Children's Charity Theodora Children's Charity is a British charity which helps sick and disabled children across the UK. It was founded in 1994 and the charity focuses on improving the lives of children in hospitals and hospices through music and entertainment. A ...

, British charity * ''Theodora'', a synonym of the legume genus ''