Theodota (or Theodote; Italian Teodote or Teodota) was a Byzantine noblewoman, most notable for her association with the Lombard king Cunipert (688–700).[1][2] The Plutei of Theodota are named after her.
A biography of her appears in Book 5 of Paul the Deacon's Historia Langobardorum. This calls her "a girl from a most noble Roman [ie Byzantine, probably Ravennese[3]] family". She was noticed by Cunipert's wife Ermelinda in the baths which had been built by Damian of Pavia - the Lombard kings at the end of the 7th century still followed a Byzantine style of living, including bathing.[3] Ermelinda described Theodota's beauty, especially her elegant and ornate long blonde hair. Cunipert did not indicate any explicit interest in the girl but instead immediately organised a hunt outside Pavia and ordered Ermelinda to take part in it with him. However, when night fell Cunipert secretly returned to the city and slept with Theodota - Paul initially states that Cunipert "cum ea concubit" (went to bed with her), leaving it unclear whether it was consensual or not, but later on in Book 5 (Chapter 37) writes "de stupro Theodotae" (about the rape of Theodota). Damian concludes by writing that Cunipert later placed Theodota in a nunnery in Pavia "that was named after her", meaning Santa Maria alla Pusterla, later renamed Santa Maria Teodote.[3]
References
- "Public buildings and urban change in northern Italy in the early mediaeval period", The City in Late Antiquity, Routledge, 2002-09-11, pp. 171–190, ISBN 978-0-203-13016-2, retrieved 2026-06-05
- Berto, Luigi Andrea (2022-06-01). Ethnic Identity, Memory, and Use of the Past in Italy's 'Dark Ages'. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-000-54989-8.
- (in Italian) Lida Capo, Commento in Paolo Diacono, Storia dei Longobardi, pp. 556-557.