Final answer:
Emperor Leo III may have promoted iconoclasm to consolidate imperial power and respond to societal anxieties about the Byzantine Empire's stability. The movement opposed religious imagery while still supporting certain forms of non-figurative religious art.
Step-by-step explanation:
Emperor Leo III's motivation for being an iconoclast went beyond religious convictions. Alongside dealing with concerns about the worship of images potentially drawing God's ire, Leo III might have had political and economic motives. One reason for his stance could be his desire to reinforce the central authority of the empire and to consolidate power by reducing the influence and wealth of monasteries and the clergy who were deeply involved with icon production and veneration. The destruction or banning of icons represented a shift in the empire's religious practices that could also serve to weaken opposition and unify the empire under the emperor's control.
In a broader sense, the Iconoclastic Controversy that occurred during the 8th and 9th centuries also reflected broader societal anxieties about the future and security of the Byzantine Empire. As military defeats and internal strife affected the empire, religious reform was seen by some as a way to invoke divine favor and restore the empire's fortunes. The iconoclasts, while opposing religious imagery, did not entirely reject art and were promoters of non-figurative religious art, such as crosses, which they saw as acceptable forms of veneration.