Masara 1 | Prosopography of the Byzantine Empire |
| Sex | M |
| Floruit | M VIII |
| Dates | 762 (taq) / 762 (tpq) |
| PmbZ No. | 4866 |
| Religion | Christian; Iconoclast |
| Locations | Constantinople; Chrysopolis (Bithynia) |
| Textual Sources | Vita Stephani Iunioris, by Stephanus Diaconus (BHG 1666), ed. M.-F. Auzépy, La Vie d'Etienne le Jeune par Étienne le diacre. Introduction, édition et traduction (Aldershot, 1997); PG 100. 1069-1186 (hagiography) |
Masara 1 was one of the leading iconoclasts sent by the emperor Constantine V (Konstantinos 7) with Kallistos 8 and Kombokonon 1 to interview Stephen the Younger (Stephanos 2), then held in custody in Chrysopolis; he is described as one who thought like the Saracens (Μασαρὰν τὸν σαρακηνόφρονα, a term of abuse indicating someone who held heretical opinions like those of the Arabs; cf. Beser 1): Vita Steph. Iun. 142.11 (1140B-C). The date was probably 762. Since Beser 1 was accused of importing iconoclast ideas from the Arabs, the word σαρακηνόφρων perhaps carries the implication of "iconoclast". See Gero, Iconoclasm I 61-84, Auzépy, n. 289.
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