Resumo Teodósio II governou o Império Romano do Oriente de 408 a 450 d.C. A memória da sua atuação ficou marcada como um imperador pouco habilidoso na condução político-administrativa do Império, sobretudo no que se refere ao gerenciamento da Controvérsia Nestoriana. Essa controvérsia teológica opunha os bispos Cirilo de Alexandria e Nestório de Constantinopla acerca da interação entre as naturezas divina e humana do Cristo. Relatos posteriores a sua morte, ocorrida em 450 d.C., como os de Prisco de Pânio, Evágrio Escolástico e João Malalas ressaltavam o seu caráter inconstante por alternar apoio entre as facções que se formaram em apoio aos dois bispos. Ao se analisar as cartas imperiais e episcopais produzidas durante o conflito, inseridas na obra Acta Conciliorum Oecumenicorum (ACO), por meio do método prosopográfico, percebe-se a presença de funcionários imperiais, civis e militares, se associando aos bispos na questão teológica. Uma vez que na Antiguidade Tardia questões religiosas permeavam as demais esferas da vida social, o objetivo desse artigo é demonstrar que a alternância de apoio do imperador, longe de caracterizar fraqueza nas suas decisões, se inseria na estratégia de contrabalanceamento de poderes entre as aristocracias imperiais, no sentido de manter sua centralidade frente ao poder imperial.

Abstract Theodosius II ruled the Eastern Roman Empire from AD 408 to 450. Theodosius II’s performance is remembered as an emperor who was not very skilled in the political-administrative conduct of the Empire, especially regarding to the management of the Nestorian Controversy. This theological controversy arose during his rule within the ecclesiastical hierarchy who stood against to the bishops Cyril of Alexandria and Nestorius of Constantinople regarding the interaction between the natures of the divine and the human in the incarnate Christ. Reports made after Theodosius’ death by Priscus of Panium, Evagrius Scholasticus and John Malalas, underscore his fickle character when he changed his support among the factions that were formed to support each of the two bishops. However, when analyzing the imperial and episcopal letters produced during the conflict, inserted in the work Acta Conciliorum Oecumenicorum (ACO), through the prosopographic method, the presence of civil and military officials is perceived, associating with the bishops on the issue theological. This fact demonstrated that the conflict was not restricted to the ecclesiastical milieu. Once in Late Antiquity, religious issues permeated the other spheres of social life, the aim of this article is to demonstrate that the alternation in support by the emperor is far from characterizing weakness in his decisions. His performance was inserted in the well-articulated political-administrative strategy of counterbalancing powers and accommodation of the interests of the imperial aristocracies that contributed to the maintenance of the centrality of power by the Emperor.