[1] He became Patriarch through the influence of Pope Dioscorus I of Alexandria and Emperor Theodosius II, following the deposition of Flavian of Constantinople by the Second Council of Ephesus in 449.

In conjunction with Pope Leo I, according to Joannes Zonaras (Annals, iii), he requested that Emperor Marcian summon a general council against Dioscorus I and the Eutychians, but the Imperial letter instructing Anatolius on preparations for the Council of Chalcedon only mentions Pope Leo I (Philippe Labbe, Conc.

[4] This change displaced the traditional hierarchy of authority of the much older sees of Antioch and Alexandria.

[5] The Eastern position in this dispute could be characterised as being political in nature, as opposed to a doctrinal view.

The circular of the emperor requesting the advice of Anatolius on the turbulent state of Alexandria is given by Evagrius Scholasticus (H. E., ii, 9), and by Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos (H. E., xv, 18).

Edward Gibbon states that the crowning of Leo I on his accession by Anatolius is the first instance of the kind on record (Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle, p. 95).