The author assembles concise biographies and portraits of the women who shared the Byzantine throne, following their varied routes to power and the frequent reversals that attended court life. Drawing on Byzantine chronicles and material remains where available, the narrative emphasizes recurring patterns: ambitious maneuvering, ritualized piety often married to practical casuistry, dramatic rises from diverse social origins, and the absence of a fixed succession that produced intrigue, comedy, and cruelty. Arranged as successive sketches, the work profiles both celebrated and obscure empresses to illuminate the social, political, and ceremonial world of the imperial court.