The position at first was an episcopate, revered as one of the three oldest episcopates (with Rome and Antioch) several centuries before Jerusalem or Constantinople attained that status in 381 or 451; the five were subsequently known as the Pentarchy.
In the interpretation of John H. Erickson, the Council saw the special powers of Rome and Alexandria, whose bishops were in effect metropolitans over several provinces, as exceptions to the general rule of organization by provinces, each with its own metropolitan.