Theodota (concubine)

Theodota (or Theodote; Italian Teodote or Teodota) was a Byzantine noblewoman, most notable for her association with the Lombard king Cunipert (688–700).

A biography of her appears in Book 5 of Paul the Deacon's Historia Langobardorum.

[1] 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.

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.