Anna is born into a politically tense environment, with many competing factions who are hungry for imperial power. During this time, Byzantine culture and politics were deeply connected to the empire’s religion, Greek Orthodox Christianity. Therefore, the tension between religious ideals of morality and the lust for power that motivates many characters’ behavior is an important throughline of the novel. In particular, the rivalry between Anna Dalassene and Irene Doukaina embodies this tension, as Anna’s grandmother exemplifies a hunger for power and her mother exemplifies religiosity. Caught in between these two central maternal figures, Anna must find her way of navigating the competing ideals that they represent.

At first, Anna’s actions are controlled by her desire for power. She immediately dislikes John because of the threat he poses to her claims to the throne; during John’s first appearance in front of diplomats, she thinks, “No one had ever wondered over my right to the throne, as these barbarians had. Could they have planted a seed of doubt in my father’s mind?” (20). Anna also treats Sophia poorly as a way to exercise power over her. Hierarchy is central to her approach to the world, and she takes great pains to ensure that she remains at the top of every hierarchy that she is a part of.