Theophano (born Anastaso)

Theophano
Depicted in John Skylitzes's History (11th century)
Empress of the Byzantine Empire
Tenure	959–March 963; August 963 – 969
Born	Anastasia c. 941 Laconia
Died	after 978
Spouse	Romanos II Nikephoros II
Issue	Helena Basil II the Bulgar-Slayer Constantine VIII Anna Porphyrogenita
Father	Craterus

Theophano (Greek: Θεοφανώ, romanized: Theophanō; c. 941 – after 978 ) was a Greek woman from the region of Laconia,^[1] who became Byzantine empress by marriage to emperors Romanos II and Nikephoros II. In 963, between the deaths of Romanos and her marriage to Nikephoros, she was regent for her sons, Basil II and Constantine VIII. Contemporary sources have depicted Theophano as scheming and adulterous, although modern scholars have called this into question.