"Theodora, Byzantine Empress.

She started out as an actress, and the Emperor Justinian fell in love with her. Despite objections, they got married.

During the Nike Revolts, her husband almost fled the city of Constantinople and nearly lost the empire. She stood up to him and reasoned with him, urging him not to leave. He stayed, put down the riots, and went on to lead the empire well for many years with Theodora by his side. His most lasting legacy was a massive overhaul and simplification of 1000 years of Roman/Byzantine law into what is now called the Justinian Code. It's often a model for modern systems of jurisprudence."