Theodora was a young noblewoman of
Alexandria who had refused to offer sacrifice to the Roman gods. Standing trial before the
prefect Eustratius, she bravely confessed herself a Christian. The prefect asked why she had not married, pointing out that she was of a noble family and beautiful and could have her choice of husbands. She replied that she had dedicated herself to God, and had resolved to remain a virgin for the name of Christ. Eustratius had her imprisoned, giving her time to reconsider, and he threatened to have her taken to a brothel if she persisted in her disobedience. Three days later, Theodora was brought again to trial, but remained resolute. When a man came to despoil the virgin, Didymus revealed himself. Didymus was taken prisoner and brought to the prefect, where he was condemned to death. The story of Theodora and Didymus is almost identical to that of
Saints Antonia and Alexander. The theme of the story might reflect the institution of
religious prostitution, prevalent in the ancient
Middle East, as remembered in a highly-disapproving Christian tradition.
Adaptations Pierre Corneille wrote in 1645 a
tragedy Theodore, virgin and martyr, based on this story, but he transferred it to Antioch. It was a signal failure, removed after only five performances. Corneille's play was the basis of
Robert Boyle's version,
The Martyrdom of Theodora, and of Didymus, privately composed and circulated in 1648-9 then published by Boyle in a revised edition in 1687. Boyle's version was read into the eighteenth century, with
Samuel Johnson commenting that it was "the first 'attempt to employ the ornaments of romance in the decoration of religion.'" The oratorio
Theodora composed by
George Frideric Handel in 1749 was based on the story of Theodora and Didymus. ==Antonina and Alexander==