There are scholars, however, who criticize this conceptualization, disputing the notion of an unchallenged superiority of the Byzantine empire. It is argued that the complex and multi-faceted dynamics of documented cultural exchange was not aligned with the theory that Constantinople was the superior core while those in periphery understood their marginal position and merely imitated their superiors.
This passage critiques the traditional view that Constantinople was the center of power and influence in the Byzantine Empire, arguing that this perspective ignores the complexity of cultural interactions and the agency of those in the periphery.