TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > History > Iconoclasm and the Holy Man
- Breaking the Power of the Holy Man – Holy man and icons consecrated from below, get holiness from popular support, not consecrated – holiness was power and neither icons nor saints in church’s power structure – example: Constantine V’s treatment of monks punished monks dressed in robes of bridegroom opposed to normal schema as above human relationships – shows understanding of holy men – Whittow sees this as purely political and coup based punishment.
- Brown: Iconoclasm determination to break the power of the holy man in Byzantine society as a principle bulwark of the power of the icon and as force itself
- Can there be a causal function to the changing power dynamic between the holy man and the more formal authorities (spiritual or otherwise)? Lessening of the power of the holy man certainly a symptom of iconoclasm.
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