Iconoclasm in the Byzantine Empire: Theology, art, and power

The Iconoclasm movement is an important issue that emerged in the Byzantine Empire in the 8th century and affected the following 120-year period. The iconoclasm movement, which actually started in 730 with a decree issued by Emperor III. Leon and ended in 843 with Empress Theodora's permission to turn to images, did not remain only a religious issue, but also played a decisive role in political, social and cultural contexts. This thesis examines the emergence, development, and implications of iconoclasm in the Byzantine Empire by analyzing the theological, artistic, and political dynamics that shaped the conflict. The study first defines the conceptual foundations of Byzantine icons—tracing the etymology of the term, the principles of iconography, the symbolic repertoire used in sacred images, and the social and liturgical roles icons occupied within Byzantine society. It then evaluates the religious, economic, and political conditions of the pre-iconoclastic period to explain the roots of the division between iconophiles and iconoclasts, as well as the influence of monastic communities, ecclesiastical structures, and imperial legitimacy struggles on the rise of the controversy. The main chapter of the thesis offers a chronological analysis of the First and Second Iconoclasm periods, addressing the policies of emperors, the decisions of councils, the interventions made on religious imagery, and the reflections of iconoclastic ideology on state-church relations and artistic production. Visual materials included in the appendices support the historical narrative by documenting the evolution of iconographic forms and the material traces of iconoclastic interventions. Overall, the study demonstrates that Byzantine iconoclasm was not merely a theological dispute but a multifaceted phenomenon that redefined the relationship between doctrine, visual culture, and imperial authority. By situating icons and iconoclasm within a broader framework of religious thought, social structures, and political power, the thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of how sacred images functioned at the intersection of theology, art, and governance in Byzantium.