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After the sole emperor of all the Roman Empire [[Constantine the Great]] built the new imperial capital on the Bosphorous, the centre of gravity in the empire was fully recognised to have completely shifted to the eastern Mediterranean. Rome lost the senate to Byzantium and lost its status and gravitas as imperial capital.
The patriarchs of [[Constantinople]] often tried to adopt an imperious position over the other patriarchs. In the case of [[Nestorius]], whose actual teaching is now recognised to be not overtly heretical, although it is clearly deficient, (Saint Cyril called it 'slippery'), <ref>John McGuckin, ''Saint Cyril of Alexandria and the Christological Controversy'', SVS Press, NY, 2004, p173</ref>, other patriarchs were able to make the charge of heresy stick and successfully had him deposed. This was probably more because his [[christology ]] was delivered with a heavy sarcastic arrogance which matched his high-handed personality <ref>John McGuckin, ''Saint Cyril of Alexandria and the Christological Controversy'', SVS Press, NY, 2004, p173</ref>.
The opinion of the Bishop of Rome was often sought, especially when the patriarchs of the Eastern Mediterranean were locked in fractious dispute. The bishops of Rome never obviously belonged to either the Antiochian or the Alexandrian schools of theology, and usually managed to steer a middle course between whatever extremes were being propounded by theologians of either school. Because Rome was remote from the centres of Christianity in the eastern Mediterranean, it was frequently hoped its bishop would be more impartial. For instance, in 431, Cyril, the patriarch of Alexandria, appealed to Pope [[Celestine I]], as well as the other patriarchs, charging Nestorius with heresy, which was dealt with at the [[Third Ecumenical Council|Council of Ephesus]].
