Supersluts of History: Roman Empress Theodora

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

History Hit

Society, History, Education, Sex, Scandal

4.8 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 5 June 2026

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this new mini-series, we're exploring and celebrating women whose sexuality was used to define them.

First up is Roman Empress Theodora. How did "Theodora from the brothels", as she was known, rise to be the most powerful woman across the Roman Empire?

Joining Kate today is author Stella Duffy, to take us back to the 6th century and help us get to know Theodora's incredible story.

This episode was edited by Tim Arstall. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Do you want even more shocking and scandalous history?
0:03.2	Like why the ancient Greek statues had such small manhoods?
0:06.8	Or what went on behind closed doors in the Georgian era?
0:10.8	We'll sign up to History Hit,
0:12.5	where you can see me discover the scandalous side of history,
0:15.3	as well as hundreds of hours of original documentaries,
0:18.7	plus new releases every week, covering everything from prehistoric
0:22.8	Scotland to the Treaty of Versailles. Sign up to join me in locations around the world and explore
0:29.2	the past. Just visit history hit.com forward slash subscribe.
0:35.4	Hello, my lovely betwixters. It's me, Kate Lister. Welcome back once again to betwixt the sheets.
0:41.2	We need the fair do's warning before we go any further. Here it is. This is an adult podcast,
0:45.8	book by adults, other adults, about adult things, and an adult you wake and arrange an old subjects,
0:49.1	and you should be an adult show. We have to keep telling you that because on the off chance that
0:53.4	a newbie has wandered in thinking
0:55.7	betwixt the sheets for some kind of podcast about interior design and they're going to be shocked
1:00.3	and upset with what is about to assail their ears. Right, everyone's feeling safer. Let's crack on.
1:10.1	Constantinople is burning and the year is 532 AD and here in the greatest city in the Roman world
1:17.3	it's all kicking off. You've got rival political factions, the blues and the greens
1:23.1	uniting against the Emperor Justinian I and for, riots have been engulfing the city.
1:29.3	Buildings are burned, officials have been killed and understandably inside the great palace.
1:33.8	Well, everyone's absolutely losing their minds.
1:37.5	Courteers are urging Justinian to flee, but his wife, the Empress Theodora, who, by the way, is not of noble blood, has other ideas.
	...

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