however, in modern times, many non-orthodox early christian writings were discovered by scholars, gradually challenging the traditional eusebian narrative. bauer was the first to suggest that what later became known as "orthodoxy" was originally just one out of many early christian sects (such as the ebionites, gnostics and marcionists), that however was able to eliminate all major opposition by the end of the 3rd century, and managed to establish itself as orthodoxy at the first council of nicaea (325) and subsequent ecumenical councils. according to bauer, the early egyptian churches were largely gnostic, the 2nd-century churches in asia minor were largely marcionist, and so on. but because the church in the city of rome was "proto-orthodox" (in ehrman's terms), bauer contended they had strategic advantages over all other sects because of their proximity to the roman empire's centre of power. as the roman political and cultural elite converted to the locally held form of christianity, they started exercising their authority and resources to influence the theology of other communities throughout the empire, sometimes by force. bauer cites the first epistle of clement as an early example of the bishop of rome interfering with the church of corinth to impose its own proto-orthodox doctrine of apostolic succession, and to favour a certain group of local church leaders over another.