History
Isaurian Dynasty: The Empire's Iconoclast Saviors
An overview of the Isaurian dynasty, which stabilized the Byzantine Empire, defeated Arab invasions, and sparked the Iconoclast Controversy.
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What is it?
The Isaurian dynasty, also known as the Syrian dynasty, ruled the Byzantine Empire from 717 to 802. Its founder, Emperor Leo III, was from northern Syria, though a later source misidentified him as Isaurian. This line of emperors took power after a period of intense instability known as the Twenty Years' Anarchy. They are credited with successfully defending and consolidating the empire, most notably repelling a massive Arab siege of Constantinople in 717-718, which was crucial in preventing the Islamic Caliphate's expansion into Europe. Militarily successful in the East, they suffered territorial losses in Italy.
Why is it trending?
The Isaurian dynasty is historically significant primarily for initiating Byzantine Iconoclasm. Believing that the veneration of religious images was idolatry and had incurred divine disfavor, Leo III banned icons around 726–730. This policy caused immense internal turmoil, dividing society into iconoclasts (icon-breakers) and iconodules (icon-venerators), and leading to the persecution of the latter. This religious controversy created a major rift with the Papacy in Rome, pushing it to seek an alliance with the Franks. This shift in allegiance ultimately contributed to the coronation of Charlemagne as emperor and deepened the growing divide between the Eastern and Western churches.
How does it affect people?
For the people of the empire, the dynasty brought an end to decades of chaos and provided relative stability. Leo III and his successors undertook significant administrative and legal reforms, such as the new law code known as the Ecloga, which reformed family and criminal law, often substituting mutilation for the death penalty. However, the Iconoclast policy was deeply disruptive. It led to the destruction of religious art and the persecution of those who opposed the ban. The dynasty's focus on defending the eastern frontiers against the Arabs and Bulgars meant neglecting the Byzantine provinces in Italy, leading to the loss of Ravenna and severing political ties with Rome.