Constantina
Overview
Title social-statusEmpress, AugustaDate of Birthmid 6th centuryDate of Death604-5Biography
Constantina was a daughter of emperor Tiberius and his wife Anastasia. Tiberius married her to his chosen successor, Maurice, who had coordinated armed forces,in 582 before he died.1 They had eight children. The family left Constantinople during riots which overthrew the emperor in November of 602, but they were captured by troops of the usurper Phocas, who had their five sons executed, as well as the emperor, Maurice. Constantina and her three daughters were sent to a monastery. But Constantina, who may have conspired against Phocas, was arrested and executed along with her daughters in 604-5. Gregory corresponded directly with her, and mentioned her in letters to others, as “serenissima domina” in a letter to her sister-in-law Theoctista and Andrea (7.26), where he asks about her reading, and in one to Andrea, a man in imperial service (7.23), in which he says he is happy to hear of the benevolence of the most pious lady (“de benignitate piisimae dominae”) towards Andrea, and that that most brilliant girl, lady Constantina (“domna Constantina clarissima puella”), had been snatched from the enticements of the world before she married. Gregory looked to her for help in correcting various injustices and problems in church and government.
