Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies· 2026Q2
The self-inflicted wounds of John the Grammarian: suffering and deception at the twilight of the iconomachy
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- Q2SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Ninth and tenth-century sources alleging that the final iconoclast patriarch, John the Grammarian, wounded himself as icon restoration neared are likely inaccurate, suggesting his wounds were not self-inflicted and possibly staged by regime actors, though definitive proof is lacking.
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Key points
- Sources from the 9th/10th centuries describe John the Grammarian wounding himself as icon restoration approached.
- Alleged motives for self-wounding include suicide or defamation of iconodule adversaries.
- Contemporary rumors suggested John was attacked, not self-wounded.
- This article argues John's wounds were likely not self-inflicted.
- The possibility of regime actors causing the wounds is considered, but remains inconclusive.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
In a series of related accounts, sources of the ninth and tenth centuries allege that the final iconoclast patriarch, John the Grammarian, wounded himself with a knife once the restoration of the icons was imminent, either in a failed suicide attempt or to defame his iconodule adversaries. However, the accounts are inconsistent, contradictory, and acknowledge that contemporary rumour claimed that John had been attacked. This article examines these accounts, concluding that John’s wounds were likely not self-inflicted, and, while regime actors were conceivably responsible, a definitive conclusion is elusive.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 2026 · DOI ↗
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