The Edifying Story about Barlaam and Ioasaph as an Edifying Story for Christians Living under Muslim Rule: Illustrated with an Example of Miniatures of Iveron Cod. 463

Barlaam and Ioasaph was immensely popular in Byzantium. The legend was inspired by Indian literature about the life of the Buddha and first appeared as a separate work in the 11^th century. Barlaam and Ioasaph has often been associated with saint John of Damascus, but this traditional attribution has been challenged, and Euthymius (d. 1028), abbot of the Iberian monastery on Mount Athos, has been suggested as the author of the Greek version. The Georgian version derives from the Arabic. This relationship reveals in textual and syntactic features.
Barlaam and Ioasaph relates the history of prince Ioasaph and his conversion to Christianity by the monk Barlaam, so the legend could give hope for the conversion of the Muslim rulers. The Iveron miniatures give a good insight into the legend.