Theodora I and Justinian I (Italy, Turkey)

Theodora I was born around 500. During her early years she worked as actress, but in 525 she married Justinian I and thus became empress of the Byzantine Empire in 527. Theodora proved herself a worthy and able leader, when she saved her husband's throne by convincing him to stay in Constantinople during the Nika riots. Later she participated in Justinian's legal and spiritual reforms and had a big influence on the increase of the rights of women. Theodora I died in 548. 

Justinian I was born around 482. He was adopted by his uncle Justin, a member of the imperial guard, who ensured the boy's education. Justin became Byzantine Emperor in 518 and Justinian his close confidant. When Justin died in 527, Justinian became emperor himself. He is considered to have been one of the most important emperors of the Late Antiquity, as his reign marked a blossoming of Byzantine culture and a reviving of the empire's greatness. But he is also said to have caused to beginning of the Middle Ages. He died in 565.

Justinian was also a prolific builder. For example the Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern were built during his reign.

Emperor Justinian I reconquered many former territories of the Western Roman Empire including Italy, Dalmatia, Africa and southern Hispania.

During the Gothic War (535 - 554) the Byzantine Empire reconquered big parts of Italy from the Ostrogoths. Justinian's general Belisarius quickly conquered Sicily and Dalmatia. In 536 they captured Naples and Rome, in 537 Ariminum. In 540 the Ostrogothic capital Ravenna was captured. In 541 the new Ostrogothic King Totila started a try to restore the Gothic realm and was quite successful at the beginning, but was already killed during a new Byzantine campaign starting in 551. Also after this conquest the Byzantine Empire was not able to hold Italy for a long time. Three years after Justinian's death mainland Italy was conquered by the Lombards and no new attempts to reconquer it were made.

The Church of San Vitale in Ravenna was begun in 527 and was finished in 548, after the city was captured by the Byzantine Empire. It is one of the most important examples of early Christian Byzantine architecture in Europe and houses the largest and best preserved Byzantine mosaics outside of Istanbul. It is also the only major church from the period of the Emperor Justinian I to survive until today. As one of the Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna it is since 1996 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The History of Palermo and Sicily (Italy)

Palermo was founded in 8th century BCE by the Phoenicians. It was a part of Cathage until it was conquered by the Romans in 254 BCE. In 440 the city came under the control of Germanic tribes, before it was reconquered by the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire in the Gothic War in the 6th century. In 904 Sicily was captured by the Arabs and Palermo became the capital of the Emirate of Sicily. During the Christian Reconquest of the island the County of Sicily was founded, which became a kingdom under Norman rule in 1130. In 1194 the Kingdom of Sicily fell to the House of Hohenstaufen. In the following centuries the kingdom was ruled in personal unions with the Holy Roman Empire (1220–1250), the Crown of Aragon (1282–1516), the Kingdom of Spain (1516–1713), the Duchy of Savoy (1713–1720), the Habsburg Monarchy (1720–1735) and the Kingdom of Naples (1735–1816). In 1816 the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was founded with Palermo as its capital, but already in 1817 the capital was moved to Naples. In 1861 it was annexed by the Kingdom of Sardinia to form the Kingdom of Italy. 

The Palazzo dei Normanni is the oldest royal residence in Europe. It was the seat of the Kings of Sicily during the Norman domination. Later it was used as the main seat of power for the subsequent rulers of Sicily. In the 12th and 13th century it was the imperial seat of Frederick II and Conrad IV. Today it houses the Sicilian Regional Assembly. 

The Arab-Norman Palermo is since 2015 on the UNESCO World Heritge List.