The Vocabulary of Anti-Islamic Hatred in Byzantine Hagiography

Hate speech directed against ethno-religious «others» is pervasive in Byzantine literature and finds particularly vivid and effective expression in hagiographic narratives. This paper aims to present a selection of the most significant derogatory epithets employed against the Islamic Other in middle Byzantine hagiography and to trace their historical and semantic development, from classical heritage through scriptural models and patristic teaching to the formation of ethno-cultural topoi.