Dynamics of power: the Nestorian controversy, the Council of Ephesus of 431, and the Eastern imperial court

This chapter explores the dynamic relationship between emperors, bishops, and court and urban communities through the events surrounding the controversial Council of Ephesus (431). The situation arose as the result of a dispute between Cyril, bishop of Constantinople, and Nestorius, the bishop of Alexandria, regarding the status of the Virgin Mary. Each bishop used a range of strategies to influence Emperor Theodosius II, the imperial women of the family, and members of the court community to support their cause. These techniques ranged from sending embassies, letters, and gifts to seeking audiences or fomenting public protests. The successes and failures of each bishop demonstrate the difficult negotiations which marked the fraught politics of access and intimacy at the imperial court.