Antonina (, – after 565) was a Byzantine patrician and wife of the general Belisarius.
The historian Procopius, who was Belisarius' legal advisor, alleges that her influence over her husband was great and features her as dominating him. The historian Paolo Cesaretti mentions her as a controversial figure and the "right arm" of the empress Theodora in the exercise of influence and power.Paolo Cesaretti, Theodora: Empress of Byzantium, Paris, 2003, Payot, IX, p. 167
The chief source regarding Antonina is Procopius' Secret History, whose reliability is debated by scholars, and Procopius' Wars. Much of the information that we have regarding Antonina is uncertain and subject to speculation. However, multiple contemporary sources such as John Malalas and Liber Pontificalis corroborate Procopius' account that she orchestrated the downfalls of John the Cappadocian, the praetorian prefect, and Silverius, the Bishop of Rome.; John Malalas, Chronicle 18.480; Liber Pontificalis, Life of Silverius
Family Procopius records that both the father and the grandfather of Antonina were charioteers. They had performed for audiences in Constantinople and Thessalonica. The position of a charioteer was one which often necessitated moving around to different areas. It was a position which garnered much popularity for the racer, he would have been much better paid than Antonina's mother. Despite their popularity, charioteers such as Antonina's father were met with scorn by the upper classes, who looked down upon those who made entertainment their career. Procopius fails to mention the names of either Antonina's parents or grandfather. Antonina's mother, whose name is also unmentioned, was an actress. Procopius mentions her in contemptuous terms: "Her mother was one of the prostitutes attached to the theatre." The term used for "theatre" in the primary source is "thymele" (), equivalent to the term orchestra (). Her position as a singer of the orchestra was a lower rung position for an actress. That was a position in the theatre reserved for performers less prestigious than the actors, such as acrobats, dancers, jugglers, etc. The term "thymelic performers" was almost always used in a negative sense.Procopius, Secret History, Chapter 1.11 and notes. It is only Procopius' own words which suggest Antonina's mother was ever a sex worker, reflecting his generally unfavourable opinion of actresses. It does not confirm nor deny whether these notions regarding Antonina's mother were true or not.
Early life Antonina's place of birth is unconfirmed, it is possible she was born in either Thessaloniki or Constantinople, both of which places Procopius names as areas where her Grandfather or Father participated in chariot racing. She would have most likely spoken Greek, the most widely spoken language in both cities. Procopius alleges that Antonina herself had led a dissolute life, having many children prior to her marriage. This cannot be confirmed nor denied as it could be based in truth or an exaggeration made to smear her reputation by Procopius. She was married at least once before her marriage to Belisarius and had numerous children, though whether all of these children were born from this first marriage, another, or out of wedlock entirely cannot be confirmed with certainty. Two children prior to her marriage with Belisarius are confirmed, Photios and an unnamed daughter. Her mother was reportedly an actress. Some scholars conjecture she met Theodora during this time, with whom she would become lifelong friends. About Antonina, Procopius said: "This woman, having in her early years lived a lewd sort of a life and having become dissolute in character, not only having consorted much with the cheap sorcerers who surrounded her parents, but also having thus acquired the knowledge of what she needed to know, later became the wedded wife of Belisarius, after having already been the mother of many children."
He names Photius as a son of Antonina but describes him as a son from a previous marriage, not as an illegitimate. The details of her first mentioned marriage are vague. The lack of mention of this husband in Procopius' 'Secret History''' suggest he was unlikely to have been a member of the entertainment class. His marriage to Antonina suggests he was not part of the elite, as the daughter of an actress or an actress herself, she would have been prohibited by law to marry one of the upper class until the early 520s when a law was passed during the reign of Justin I allowing such marriages. Apart from this, nothing else is able to be confirmed regarding this man or marriage. It is also unclear whether this man was the father of Antonina's confirmed children prior to her marriage with Belisarius. "But the general in supreme command over all was Belisarius, and he had with him many notable men as spearmen and guards. And he was also accompanied by Photius, the son of his wife Antonina by a previous marriage; he was still a young man wearing his first beard, but possessed the greatest discretion and shewed a strength of character beyond his years.Procopius, History of the Wars, Book 6, Chapter 5.5." ... "There Valentinus, the groom of Photius, the son of Antonina, made a remarkable exhibition of valour."Procopius, History of the Wars, Book 6, Chapter 18.18. "For Photius was by nature prone to be vexed if anyone had more influence than he with any person, and in the case of Theodosius and his associates he chanced to have a just cause to be sorely aggrieved, in that he himself, though a son, was made of no account, while Theodosius enjoyed great power and was acquiring great wealth.Procopius, Secret History, Chapter 1.32 and notes." Photius is also mentioned by Liberatus of Carthage and John of Ephesus.
Ioannina (or Joannina) was the only confirmed daughter of Belisarius and Antonina. Procopius mentions: "she [Theodora] realized that the girl would be the heiress, since Belisarius had no other offspring".Procopius, Secret History, Chapter 5.20.: "In 548 he married Ioannina, the daughter of Belisarius".: "Nor was that the only effort to gain Beliusarius and Antonina's fortune. ... Joannina became sole heir to their immense fortune" Another daughter of Antonina, whose name is never stated, is mentioned as wife of Ildiger. This marriage would have likely occurred prior to Antonina and Belisarius departure to Egypt in 533. There is little more known about the life of this woman. Ildiger is always mentioned as son-in-law of Antonina, never as son-in-law of Belisarius. Procopius records: "And the emperor sent another army also to Solomon with Theodoras, the Cappadocian, and Ildiger, who was the son-in-law of Antonina, the wife of Belisarius." ... "So the envoys of the barbarians went to Byzantium escorted by Romans, and Ildiger, the son-in-law of Antonina, came to Rome from Libya with not a few horsemen."Procopius, History of the Wars, Book 4, Chapter 8.24.Procopius, History of the Wars, Book 6, Chapter 7.15.
Finally, a granddaughter of Antonina is mentioned in the 540s. Which of Antonina's children was her parent is unrecorded and it is unconfirmed how many children, if she did bear any others than those mentioned, Antonina bore throughout her life. She was apparently wooed by Sergius, Praetorian Prefect of Africa. Procopius records For Sergios was soft and unwarlike, quite young in years and immature of character, envious and hugely arrogant toward all people, emasculated by his tender lifestyle yet blown up with pride. But because he also happened to be a suitor for the granddaughter of Antonina, Belisarios' wife, the empress was altogether unwilling to impose any kind of punishment on him or depose him from his commandProcopius, Secret History, Chapter 5.33.
Biography Procopius portrays Antonina as leading a shameless life, even after marrying Belisarius. He writes "at great length" on her affair with Theodosius, a godson of Belisarius. She was supposedly only restrained by fear of losing the favour of her patron Theodora, wife of Justinian I (r. 527–65). She acted as an agent of Theodora in a number of occasions.
Vandalic War Antonina is recorded as following Belisarius on campaign. Procopius alleges that she only did so to maintain her influence on the general. "For in order that the man might not be alone and thus come to himself, and scorning her enchantments might come to think as he ought concerning her, she had taken care to travel all over the world with him." She is first reported joining her husband in the Vandalic War (533–4). "In the seventh year of Justinian's reign, at about the spring equinox, the emperor commanded the general's ship to anchor off the point which is before the royal palace. ... And after this the general Belisarius and Antonina, his wife, set sail. And there was with them also Procopius, who wrote this history."Procopius, History of the Wars, Book 3, Chapter 12.1–2.
During the crossing of the Adriatic Sea the water supplies of the Byzantine navy were contaminated (spoiled). The sole exception was the water supplies of Belisarius' own ship. Antonina is credited with storing the water in glass jars and placing them in a secure room, preventing contamination. Procopius narrates: "And setting out from Methone they reached the harbour of Zacynthus, where they took in enough water to last them in crossing the Adriatic Sea, and after making all their other preparations, sailed on. But since the wind they had was very gentle and languid, it was only on the sixteenth day that they came to land at a deserted place in Sicily near which Mount Aetna rises. And while they were being delayed in this passage, as has been said, it so happened that the water of the whole fleet was spoiled, except that which Belisarius himself and his table-companions were drinking. For this alone was preserved by the wife of Belisarius in the following manner. She filled with water jars made of glass and constructed a small room with planks in the hold of the ship where it was impossible for the sun to penetrate, and there she sank the jars in sand, and by this means the water remained unaffected."Procopius, History of the Wars, Book 3, Chapter 13.24. Her precautions probably prevented the growth of algae.
In North Africa, Βelisarius initially situated his forces at "a camp, thirty-five stades distant from Decimum, surrounded it with a stockade which was very well made". He left there Antonina with the infantry. Procopius reports: "Belisarius left his wife and the barricaded camp to the infantry, and himself set forth with all the horsemen". The cavalry went on to the Battle of Ad Decimum.Procopius, History of the Wars, Book 3, Chapter 19.11. Antonina and the infantry joined them the following day. "But on the following day the infantry with the wife of Belisarius came up and we all proceeded together on the road toward Carthage, which we reached in the late evening".Procopius, History of the Wars, Book 3, Chapter 20.1.
Gothic War Antonina is next mentioned on a mission for Theodora at Rome, the deposition of Pope Silverius (March, 537), early in the Gothic War. Procopius only alludes to the event in an unrelated chapter: But after she [Antonina] had made her [Theodora] tame and manageable, by rendering services to her in matters of the greatest urgency — having, in the first place, disposed of Silverius in the manner which will be described in the following narrative... And they say that she first cut out all their tongues, and then cut them up bit by bit, threw the pieces into sacks, and then without ado cast them into the sea, being assisted throughout in this impious business by one of the servants named Eugenius, the same one who performed the unholy deed upon Silverius. What deed was performed on Silverius is never actually explained. The Liber Pontificalis gives a more detailed narrative: