THE ICONOCLASM
‘The Isaurian’ Leo III ascended to the purple in 717, after forcing the abdication of his predecessor, Theodosius III. Inheriting the empire in a fragile state, he harboured deeply iconoclastic views, believing that icons or images should only be used to portray human subjects – any attempt to depict the divine would be tantamount to idol worship. This view was particularly prominent in the east, where most soldiers came from, and thereby shored up his support among the generals.