Why did scholars consider some letters attributed to St. Ignatius of Antioch to be forgeries?

Scholars identified certain letters attributed to St. Ignatius of Antioch as forgeries because they were part of an augmented collection that appeared in the 4th century, long after his death.1

While seven letters are widely recognized as genuine, the expanded collection included six additional letters falsely written under his name. Furthermore, the original seven letters were corrupted during this same period by heavy insertions from an interpolator. This enlarged, altered collection became widely known during the Middle Ages, leading to historical confusion.1

It was not until 17th-century scholarship that the genuine letters were restored, effectively separating the authentic writings from the forgeries and interpolations. This restoration allowed for a more objective and accurate understanding of Ignatius’s personality and theological views.12