"This book covers the fourth to the eighth centuries AD, a period of transition from the pagan Roman world to the Christian Byzantine Empire - the move from a classical to a medieval world. It begins with Helena, mother of the first Christian emperor, Constantine the Great, and ends with Eirene, the only woman to rule as emperor in Byzantium. Rather than providing an extensive biography of each empress, the author seeks to analyse the nature of female imperial power during this time. What rights and responsibilities, what access to power, if any, did this office carry?" "It is apparent that the role of women in Byzantium is both more complex and more powerful than has previously been allowed for. This book aims to explore these complexities."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved